Former Ghana international Derek Boateng has urged the Black Stars to begin their 2026 World Cup journey with a commanding win, stressing that a positive start could shape the team’s momentum throughout the competition.
Ghana opens its campaign against Panama on June 17 in Toronto, before facing England on June 23 in Boston and wrapping up the group stage against Croatia on June 27 in Philadelphia.
Speaking in a recent interview on Sporty FM, the retired midfielder emphasised the importance of securing maximum points in the first fixture.
“Everything starts from the first game. If we beat Panama, England and Croatia won’t seem as tough. England is afraid of us because we have quality players, Thomas Partey, Mohammed Kudus, Kamaldeen Sulemana have matched them before.
“In every tournament, the first game is the most important; it gives you a foundation for the rest of the matches. We must focus on that game,” he noted, while acknowledging the challenge posed by England and Croatia.
He added: “I feel like that’s a tough group. We all know how England plays, some of our players compete in the English league, so we know their style. Croatia also always performs well in tournaments, and people respect them a lot; they have very good players who work hard.”
Boateng insisted that overcoming Panama would boost confidence ahead of the subsequent clashes with England and Croatia.
The Black Stars will be aiming to surpass their performance at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where they exited at the group stage.
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