The USA clinched a remarkable 4-0 victory over Ghana in a friendly match held in Tennessee. This win marks the third consecutive victory for the Americans over the Black Stars.
The team’s performance in the first half was outstanding, with Giovanni Reyna scoring twice, Christian Pulisic converting a penalty and Folarin Balogun also finding the net at the Geodis Park.
Ghana couldn’t recover from the damage inflicted in the first 45 minutes of the match and suffered their second defeat in the October international break. Prior to this match, the Black Stars had lost 2-0 to Mexico in North Carolina. Coach Chris Hughton had acknowledged their defensive struggles in the Mexico game and promised not to repeat those mistakes against the USA. However, their defending was even worse on Tuesday night, and the USA took advantage of their poor performance.
Ghana suffered their third consecutive defeat against the USA in a recent match, having won the first two meetings in 2006 and 2010, both at the World Cup. The USA took revenge at the 2014 World Cup and has been dominant in their recent encounters.
Hughton made some changes to the team that lost to Mexico, including replacing Lawrence Ati-Zigi with Belgium-based goalkeeper Abdul Nurudeen. Despite conceding four goals, Nurudeen was arguably Ghana’s best player in the first half.
The likes of Mohammed Kudus, Thomas Partey, Jordan Ayew, and Inaki Williams all started the game but were unable to make an impact against the USA. Williams, in particular, was disappointed as his goalless streak with Ghana extended to 11 games.
The Black Stars will be playing crucial matches against Madagascar and Comoros in November as they begin their campaign in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. Following this, they will turn their attention to the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations tournament, which is set to begin in January 2024. The four-time African champions are drawn in a group alongside Egypt, Cape Verde, and Mozambique.
