Black Stars captain Jordan Ayew has admitted that Colombia deserved to advance after Ghana’s 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign ended with a 1-0 defeat in the Round of 32 on Friday.
Ghana struggled to control the game in Kansas City and failed to register a shot on target. Jhon Arias scored the only goal in the first half to send Colombia into the Round of 16.
Speaking after the match, Ayew said Ghana had to accept the result.
“We all want to win football matches, but sometimes you have to accept when the opposition is slightly better. It’s football, and we have to take it under the chin,” the captain said.
Ghana had hoped to reach the Round of 16 for the first time since 2010. They qualified from Group L as one of the best third placed teams.
However, they struggled against a strong Colombian side that dominated possession and created more chances.
The defeat ended a campaign affected by injuries to key players including Mohammed Kudus, Mohammed Salisu, and Alexander Djiku, which forced changes in the squad.
Ghana started the tournament with a win over Panama, drew 0-0 with England, and lost 2-1 to Croatia before reaching the knockout stage with four points.
Their attack struggled throughout the competition, scoring just two goals in four matches and failing to score in three games.
Despite the exit, Ghana conceded only three goals in the tournament, giving the team something to build on ahead of future competitions.
