Croatia

Just a few weeks ago, few would have listed Ghana among the pleasant surprises of this World Cup. Following an alarming preparation period, the federation had taken a radical decision ten weeks before the tournament, parting ways with Otto Addo and handing the Black Stars' fate to Carlos Queiroz. It was a risky call – the experienced Portuguese coach had only a handful of weeks to impose his methods.

Two World Cup matches later, the gamble is turning into a masterstroke. Following a victory against Panama (1-0) and a prestigious draw against England (0-0), Ghana head into Saturday evening's clash with Croatia on four points. A draw should be enough to book their place in the last 32. Even a defeat would leave them in a strong position to advance as one of the best third-placed sides.

World Cup 2026 – Group L

POS	TEAM	P	PTS	GF	GA	GD
1	England	2	4	4	2	+2
2	Ghana	2	4	1	0	+1
3	Croatia	2	3	3	4	-1
4	Panama	2	0	0	2	-2

Carlos Queiroz has transformed Ghana

During March's friendlies against Austria and Germany – the results that sealed Otto Addo's fate – the Black Stars conceded seven goals across two matches. Today, they are among the few sides at this World Cup yet to concede a single goal in two outings.

Unsurprisingly, the hallmarks of Carlos Queiroz are plain to see.

Compact, disciplined, capable of defending deep before striking on the counter, this Ghana side resembles every team the Portuguese coach has built throughout his career. Against England, the Black Stars accepted long periods of suffering before growing increasingly dangerous as the match wore on.

"He told us we were going to suffer but that we had to stay compact and be ready to take our chances," midfielder Kwasi Sibo said after the match.

Full-back Gideon Mensah summed up his manager's philosophy just as neatly: "If sitting deep and then scoring works for us, why change it?"

Semenyo, symbol of sacrifice

The symbol of this transformation is Antoine Semenyo.

The Black Stars' attacking star -- particularly in the absence of Mohammed Kudus – the Manchester City winger has spent most of his World Cup so far doing the opposite of what might be expected: defending. Against England, he put in repeated tracking runs and defensive efforts to protect his flank before pushing forward whenever the opportunity arose.

This culture of sacrifice appears to be the hallmark of Queiroz's Ghana.

Captain Jordan Ayew, now the most-capped player in Black Stars history with 122 appearances – surpassing his brother Andre – has fully embraced this collective philosophy, placing his experience at the service of a group that appears to have rediscovered its identity. The emotional, blonde-mohawked forward who made his debut sixteen years ago has given way to a focused, respected leader among his younger team-mates.

Croatia stand between Ghana and the next round

Yet the hardest part may still be to come.

Croatia's key figures may be ageing, but they remain a difficult opponent with a wealth of experience on the biggest stages. Ghana, however, will approach this fixture with a confidence they have not carried for some time.

One statistic perfectly captures this team: across their first two matches, the Black Stars did not attempt a single shot in the first half. All nine of their efforts came after the break. Only Costa Rica in 1990 had shown the same pattern – and they went on to reach the second round.