Ghana forward Brandon Thomas-Asante says the Black Stars are embracing their underdog label as motivation rather than pressure ahead of Tuesday’s highly anticipated FIFA World Cup meeting with England.
The striker played a decisive role in Ghana’s opening Group L victory, delivering a stoppage-time assist that set up the winning goal in the Black Stars’ 1-0 triumph over Panama in Toronto. The result ensured Ghana began their World Cup campaign on a winning note and moved level with England on three points after the Three Lions’ entertaining 4-2 win against Croatia.
With the two sides preparing for a showdown that could shape the destiny of Group L, Thomas-Asante believes Ghana’s focus remains firmly on its own objectives rather than the opinions of outsiders.
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Speaking to the Ghana FA media team, the forward stressed that confidence within the camp has never wavered, regardless of how others view their chances.
“Everything to the best ability, it’s very much a case of, we back ourselves, we believe in ourselves. Whether people on the outside doubt us, believe us, or anything, that’s not what we think about. We think about why we’re here. We’re on a mission,” Thomas-Asante said.
The attacker explained that the team’s clear sense of purpose has helped eliminate any burden of expectation as they prepare to face one of the tournament favourites.
“That means there’s no pressure. It’s even less pressure for us,” he explained.
Rather than being distracted by predictions or public perception, Thomas-Asante said the Black Stars have turned any skepticism into extra motivation as they continue their preparations.
“We know our fans believe, but we know that some people might want to overlook us. We use that to our advantage, preparing properly and believing that we can go and do something,” he added.
Both Ghana and England enter the contest tied at the top of Group L with three points apiece, making the clash in Foxborough one of the standout fixtures of the group stage. Victory for either side would provide a significant advantage in the race for a place in the knockout rounds.
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Kick-off at Boston Stadium is scheduled for 8:00 PM GMT on Tuesday.
