In Nigerian street slang, “Ghana must go” is a phrase that suggests it’s time to leave—yet Jordan Ayew has turned the saying on its head. The Black Stars captain has issued a defiant rallying message ahead of Ghana’s Group L meeting with England tonight, determined to make sure his side doesn’t head home early.
Ayew’s stance was clear as Ghana’s World Cup camp carried confidence into the clash with the Three Lions at the Boston Stadium in Foxborough. While England enter as the more intimidating opponent on paper, the skipper insists reputations won’t decide the outcome.
England are viewed as a far tougher test, with Thomas Tuchel’s squad packed with talent drawn from Europe’s top clubs. Their ruthless dismantling of Croatia served as a reminder of their quality and why they are widely regarded as heavy favourites for the contest. Still, Ayew believes Ghana’s mindset matters more than the branding of the fixture.
“We have two important games left,” Ayew said. “We take it game by game. We are focused on securing the three points in the next match and after that we think about the last match.” He added: “It’s always difficult playing at the World Cup. There are no easy games, but we believe in ourselves and we feel that anything is possible. The next game is equally important, and we are ready for it.”
Ghana’s journey to Boston has been powered by momentum from their previous outing, a hard-fought 1-0 win over Panama. Caleb Yirenkyi’s stoppage-time strike delivered the decisive goal, and Ayew pointed to how the team managed to grow into the match after a challenging start. The first half proved difficult, but Ghana steadily found their rhythm and ultimately turned the contest.
“The first half didn’t go as planned, but we were patient. They kept the ball well and we soaked up the pressure. We looked more composed and direct. In the second half a lot changed — we grew in confidence and kept possession much better,” Ayew said.
The victory was made even more impressive by the setbacks Ghana had to absorb along the way. Their deputy captain, Thomas Partey, missed the game due to visa complications, while first-choice goalkeeper Lawrence Ati-Zigi was forced off at half-time because of injury. Despite those disruptions, the Black Stars found a way to grind out the result.
Now, Ayew and his teammates are treating the England fixture as more than just another match on the schedule. The four-time African champions arrived in the United States with a point to prove, and the determination shown against Panama has given the squad fresh belief that they can perform against elite opposition at the highest level.
Before the Boston showdown, the message from the Ghana camp was direct: they did not come to the FIFA World Cup to “make up the numbers,” nor to return home with the kind of label implied by “Ghana must go.” Instead, Ayew’s rallying cry suggests a side ready to fight for its place in the tournament.
