Ghana faced a daunting challenge early in their match against Colombia when Luis Suárez was called upon from the bench in the seventh minute. This encounter came a day after the 16th anniversary of a notorious incident in World Cup history involving Suárez, whose controversial handball crushed the hopes of Ghanaian supporters in the 2010 quarter-finals.
Shortly after his introduction, Suárez assisted Jhon Arias, who scored the decisive goal, propelling Colombia into the last 16 where they will meet Switzerland in Vancouver on Tuesday. Although Colombia failed to capitalize on their dominance with additional goals, their performance showcased a clear superiority, suggesting they could replicate their best-ever World Cup finish from 2014, when they reached the quarter-finals.
This match marked Ghana’s return to knockout stages since that heart-wrenching day in Johannesburg, where they narrowly missed being the first African team to reach the semi-finals. Under the experienced Carlos Queiroz, Ghana’s squad has perhaps exceeded expectations, but their lack of creativity was evident, particularly in the absence of Tottenham’s Mohammed Kudus.
Néstor Lorenzo disclosed that, as always, he sought counsel from his 89-year-old mother before the game, stating, “She hasn’t given me any specific instructions for this match, but she is always attentive and following it with love,” The former Argentina defender, who participated in the 1990 World Cup final, understood the pressure on his team to perform.
With Colombian fans significantly outnumbering those from Ghana, pressure mounted on the South American side to assert themselves. Thomas Partey nearly opened the scoring within the first two minutes as his attempt skimmed past the post. An early clash between Jhon Córdoba and Jerome Opoku resulted in a suspected hamstring injury for Córdoba, leading to Suárez being brought on. Shortly thereafter, Marvin Senaya also had to exit the match after a controversial incident involving Luis Díaz, who felt he deserved a penalty, although it appeared more like a dive.
These substitutions seemed to disrupt Ghana’s previously solid organization, which had been effective during their group stage match against England. In a predictable turn of events, Suárez exploited space on the right and successfully delivered a cross to the unmarked Arias, capitalizing on a defensive lapse from teenage midfielder Caleb Yirenkyi.
Another troubling statistic for Ghana was their failure to win in their last three World Cup encounters against South American teams, having previously lost to Brazil in the 2006 last 16 and again to Uruguay four years later in the group stage. Queiroz’s reputation does not stem from teams that play defensively, and his side faced jeers from Colombian fans when they hesitated to push forward.
Alidu Seidu, who replaced Senaya, surrendered possession in a precarious position, and a missed chance from Díaz could have significantly complicated Ghana’s situation. Goalkeeper Lawrence Ati-Zigi, who returned from injury, saved a header from Johan Mojica following a well-placed cross from Daniel Muñoz.
James Rodríguez showed visible disappointment when he was substituted at halftime, a reflection of his waning influence at 34, despite his pivotal role in Colombia’s remarkable 2014 campaign. Ghana started the second half strong, with Antoine Semenyo’s cross gliding across the goal. Díaz thought he had doubled the lead, but the linesman ruled him offside, cutting short the celebrations, including those of René Higuita in the stands. Ghana was on the brink of capitulation as Colombia continued to threaten; Davinson Sánchez’s header from a corner was saved, and substitute Jaminton Campaz also came close.
As Colombia eyes a potential clash with Argentina in the quarter-finals, should they overcome Switzerland, they recognize that tougher challenges lie ahead than what Ghana could provide.
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