Ghana head coach Carlos Queiroz has urged his players and supporters to remain focused despite the Black Stars’ impressive 0-0 draw against England, insisting that the team’s ultimate objective has not yet been achieved.
The Black Stars produced a disciplined performance at Gillette Stadium on Tuesday to earn a valuable point against the Three Lions, moving to four points in Group L and strengthening their hopes of reaching the knockout stage of the FIFA World Cup.
However, Queiroz was quick to play down any sense of accomplishment, reminding everyone that Ghana’s qualification battle is still ongoing.
“We have not won anything yet,” the coach said after the match. “We are simply moving closer to our main objective, which is to qualify for the second round of the World Cup.”
The result leaves Ghana in a strong position ahead of their final group match against Croatia on June 28. Victory in that game would guarantee the Black Stars a place in the Round of 32.
Queiroz praised the determination and commitment shown by his players against one of the tournament favourites and dedicated the performance to Ghanaian supporters.
“We have to dedicate this effort to the fans of Ghana,” he said. “They deserve it because the players gave everything on the pitch.”
Ghana’s defensive unit played a crucial role in securing the point. Goalkeeper Benjamin Asare produced a confident display and kept a clean sheet, while defenders Jerome Opoku, Jonas Adjetey, Marvin Senaya and Gideon Mensah stood firm against England’s attacking threats.
The Black Stars successfully limited clear scoring opportunities for the Three Lions and showed remarkable organisation throughout the contest.
Queiroz acknowledged the difficulty of competing at the World Cup and stressed the importance of every point earned.
“Points in this World Cup are very expensive,” he said. “You have to fight hard for every single one of them. We have earned this point, but now we must recover and prepare for Croatia.”
With qualification still within reach, Ghana will now turn their full attention to their final Group L encounter as they seek to book a place in the knockout rounds.
