Black Stars defender Gideon Mensah says Ghana will head into Tuesday’s high-stakes World Cup clash against England with “free minds,” insisting the team is motivated rather than intimidated by the world-class talent in the Three Lions squad.
Carlos Queiroz’s side heads into their second Group L fixture brimming with confidence after a dramatic, late 1-0 victory over Panama in their tournament opener. The crucial three points have alleviated the immediate pressure on the West Africans, allowing them to approach the blockbuster encounter with tactical freedom.
Speaking at the pre-match press conference ahead of tomorrow’s showdown, the left-back emphasized that the squad is in high spirits and completely unfazed by the high-profile names in the English setup.
“We feel very good. Very confident, obviously, because we’ve had already three points in our first game,” Mensah stated. “So this is a game that It’s like we’re going with our free minds, free heads.”
When pressed on how he and his teammates plan to cope with England’s formidable attacking options, the Auxerre defender noted that the squad boasts plenty of top-tier European experience, meaning facing elite Premier League opposition is nothing new to them.
”And then I’m ready to compete against the names that you just mentioned,” Mensah countered. “I mean, this is not something new for us. Some of the boys, you know, some of the boys have been playing in England. I’ve played against couple of the players also in the England team.”
With vice-captain Thomas Partey expected to return to the midfield engine room to partner the heroic younger starlets, the Black Stars are looking to secure a historic result that could guarantee early passage to the knockout rounds.
Mensah concluded by pointing out that instead of causing panic in the camp, the sheer magnitude of the fixture is serving as the ultimate fuel for the players.
”So, I mean, it’s not something that is really pushing us to shake or anything. It’s just something that motivates us to do more.”
