‘I’M CONFIDENT ABOUT THE TACTICS’ – Jordan Ayew Backs Queiroz’s Masterplan To Eliminate Colombia
Black Stars captain Jordan Ayew has urged his teammates to draw a firm line under their group stage campaign, insisting the squad is fully armed with the tactical blueprint required to stun Colombia on Saturday morning.
Ghana booked their place in the World Cup Round of 32 after a grueling group phase, which concluded with a tight 2-1 defeat to Croatia.
While external chatter has focused heavily on the team’s conservative style under Carlos Queiroz, the veteran forward believes knockout football demands an entirely different psychological approach.
Addressing the media ahead of the high-stakes 1:00 AM kickoff, Ayew dismissed any lingering focus on their previous matches, drawing a sharp distinction between the group phase and the sudden-death reality facing them in Kansas City.
“The Croatia game was a one off game so let’s take it like that. But the Colombia game is a knockout game so it’s gonna be totally different. We will have to be ready for that challenge.”
The South Americans enter the fixture as heavy favorites after a flawless group stage display. Colombia’s high-pressing style will pose a monumental threat to an African contingent that has already seen South Africa, Ivory Coast, DR Congo, and Senegal crash out in this round.
Despite the scale of the task and the immense pressure to keep Africa’s tournament alive alongside Morocco, Ayew expressed absolute faith in his manager’s preparation.
”Colombia are top side and it’s going to be a difficult game but I’m confident about the tactics the manager has told us and I think we will be ready for that challenge so there is no problem about that.”
With the team facing zero fresh injury concerns outside of defender Kojo Peprah Oppong, Ayew’s calm composure signals a locker room that is unified and fully prepared to execute.
If the Black Stars can maintain their structural focus for the full 90 minutes and avoid the late collapses that ruined their continental neighbors, the skipper is certain Ghana has everything required to secure a historic ticket to the Round of 16.
