On Tuesday, the Ghana national football team suffered a humiliating 4-0 defeat to the USA in an international friendly match played at the GEODIS Park in Nashville, Tennessee.
The Black Stars, ranked 60th in the FIFA world rankings, were outclassed by the 11th-ranked Americans, who scored two goals in each half to seal a convincing victory.
The hosts scored in the 12th minute when midfielder Weston McKennie headed in a cross from Sergiño Dest. The USA doubled their lead in the 28th minute when striker Josh Sargent converted a penalty after Ghana defender Joseph Aidoo fouled him.
The second half was more similar, as the USA continued dominating possession and creating chances. They added a third goal in the 54th minute when winger Christian Pulisic curled a free kick into the top corner from 25 yards out. The fourth and final goal came in the 76th minute when substitute Ricardo Pepi tapped in a rebound from close range after Ghana goalkeeper Ibrahim Danlad parried a shot from Gio Reyna.
The Black Stars, missing some key players due to injuries and club commitments, failed to register a single shot on target throughout the game. They also struggled to cope with the pace and intensity of the USA, who were preparing for their upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Jamaica and Costa Rica.
The result was the worst defeat for Ghana since they lost 5-0 to Saudi Arabia in 2017. It also extended their winless run against the USA to four games, having lost three and drawn one since their last victory in 2009.
The Ghana coach, Chris Hughton, admitted that his team was outplayed and apologized to the fans for the poor performance. He said he would analyze the game and try to improve before their next assignment.
“We are very disappointed with the result and the performance. We knew the USA was a strong team, but we did not expect to lose by such a big margin. We made too many mistakes and gave them too much space. We must learn from this game and work harder to improve,” he said.
The Black Stars hope to bounce back when they resume their 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying campaign in November. They are currently second in Group G with three points from two games, behind South Africa on goal difference. They will face Zimbabwe and Ethiopia in their remaining fixtures.
The USA coach, Gregg Berhalter, praised his team for their impressive display and said they were ready for their upcoming challenges. He said that he was happy with the goals scored and the clean sheet kept.
“I think our team performed very well. We played with a lot of energy and quality. We scored some great goals and defended well as a unit. We wanted to use this game to prepare for our qualifiers, and I think we achieved that,” he said.
The USA will aim to continue winning when they face Jamaica on October 21 and Costa Rica on October 26 in their World Cup qualifiers. They are currently third in the CONCACAF standings with five points from three games, behind Canada and Mexico.
Despite the heavy defeat, Ghana still has a chance to qualify for the 2023 AFCON and improve its ranking. They have some talented players who can make a difference in future games. They must show more determination and resilience to overcome this setback and restore their pride.
Source: MyJoyOnline
