Black Stars head coach Carlos Queiroz has admitted Ghana fell below their expected standards in possession during the team’s 1-0 defeat to Colombia, insisting poor passing and defensive lapses proved costly in the Round of 32 clash.
Ghana’s World Cup journey came to an end after Jhon Arias scored the only goal of the game to send Colombia through to the next round.
Reflecting on the performance after the match, Queiroz pointed to his side’s inability to keep the ball and build attacks effectively.
“The quality of our passes were not what we expected. We made a lot of mistakes and conceded counter attacks,” the Portuguese coach said.
The former Real Madrid manager also highlighted the decisive moment that led to Colombia’s winner, admitting his players were caught out defensively.
“They scored in one moment that the team was not organized.”
Despite the defeat, Queiroz praised his players’ commitment throughout the tournament, having guided Ghana to the knockout stage for the first time since the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
The Black Stars finished third in Group L behind Croatia and England before qualifying as one of the tournament’s best third-placed teams. They defeated Panama, drew with England and narrowly lost to Croatia before their campaign ended against Colombia.