Fresh off providing an assist in Ghana’s 1-0 World Cup opener against Panama, forward Brandon Thomas-Asante says the squad is embracing the challenge of Tuesday’s Group L clash with England at Boston Stadium, declaring “we’re on a mission” and “there’s no pressure — if anything, it’s less pressure for us.” Speaking on recovery, belief, and the privilege of wearing the Ghana jersey, Thomas-Asante stressed the team’s focus, faith, and determination to “do the fans proud” as both nations sit on three points ahead of the Foxborough showdown.
Asante has been speaking to ghanafa.org and says the following:
On recovery since Panama game
Well, you know, its tournament football, so there’s always a balance between recovering from the last game and the travel and everything and preparing for the next game. So, we started to have a look and put our minds to the different challenges that we’re going to face and how we’re going to use our resources and our team.
On belief
Everything to the best ability, it’s very much a case of you know. We back ourselves, we believe in ourselves, and you know. Whether people on the outside doubt us, believe us, or anything. That’s not what we think about. We think about why we’re here. We’re on a mission and yeah, that’s them. Means that there’s no pressure. It’s even less pressure for us, in the sense that we like. A lot of people, we know that our fans believe, but we know that some people they might want to overlook us. We use that to our advantage. Of preparing properly and believing that we can go and do something.
On taking off with a win
Yeah, it gives us a lot of confidence. We understand, in a lot of major tournaments, sometimes the first game hasn’t gone to plan. So to get that right is a big positive and a big compliment. Boost and with that, we know that we can allow ourselves to be free to chase after more good results, chase after more points, and we believe we can. Do something so it’s a positive feeling out of the first game. A lot of people got minutes into their legs and of course having those minutes as well is good because you can build match fitness, so we’re feeling good.
On wearing the Ghana jersey to play against England
Yeah, I mean, I was speaking to someone last night, a dear friend, and just saying, you know, I’m very relaxed and I’m very excited because I’m walking in and answered prayer to be able to wear this jersey, even everything’s a blessing, everything’s a privilege, and with that, when I step onto the field, you know, taking the environment, the occasion, the fans, even the, you know, this is where I want to be on the best stage in world football. That’s where I believe I’ve always wanted to be and believe that I can make it to so there’s no reason to feel anything, but you know, confidence, joy, and I’m going play from that place. I believe that would allow me, with my hunger, my determination, my pride for the Black Stars, to perform and I believe we’re going do that as a team.
On team focus
Of course, we all want to win the game, so we’re going to do that. But I think we’re going to do our best to do that. What we can offer is just to give our best, to try our best to have an excellent performance, to try our best to show our dedication. We want to lay ourselves down for the nation and give everything. I think, you know, I was speaking to my friend as well and I was saying, ‘We love and we appreciate that everyone has so much hope in us achieving something.’ Of course. I was saying our best hope is in Jesus Christ, but we want to definitely encourage everyone by the way. We apply ourselves and by the way that we show them how much it means to be on this stage. And when we see everyone in the stands with the paint on their face or in their Black Stars jersey, we want them to know we’re out there for them to give everything.
On feeling playing at the World Cup
Like I say, joy, answered prayer, excitement, pride, you know, all of these things. I think I’m happy. Because these are the main pressure moments. And that’s why I want to be— I thrive under pressure. Pressure is, a lot of people say it’s a privilege. And I really believe in that. You know, we need to see it as an opportunity, not something where we should bow our heads and be nervous. It’s an opportunity, of course. Every sport has a winner or a loser, you can draw. But we go in really optimistic for what we want to do. And, you know, we’re praying that it goes well. Regardless, we keep marching forward.
On the goal against Panama
I think people know, with our team, we have so many fast attackers, we can go from defense to offense very quickly. So, I think the ball dropped to Caleb, and immediately I started peeling wide because Antoine had come into the middle. Caleb passed to Antoine. But as I turned, I realised that Antoine had already passed the ball in the space. This I’m happy because, because he knows that I’m a fast player and I like to use my legs. But I was probably expecting it to arrive a little bit later, so I had to really put the afterburners. And I saw the defender. The defender actually played in the championship with me at another team. So, I’m familiar with him and I just wanted to make sure. I give everything to get to the end of that pass. I know that he tried to tackle, but thankfully I got over that hurdle and pressed towards the goal. Of course, the first thing in my mind is, ‘Oh, can I shoot?’ And then I realized the angle was a bit tight. So, I had to look for the right pass and I saw Antoine was running, I saw Caleb at the back post. And only after I saw that there were some cutback options—maybe to Fatawa and Prince as well—but, in the end, I chose to put it across because it’s an easier finish. But yeah, I think, of course, there are two players who can both score goals. Caleb, he’s on a great run of form, isn’t he? Now he’s scored with Wales and now Panama.
On Caleb scoring against Wales and Panama
I was so happy for him. For him to get that moment, but yeah, we’ve got to keep on making more and more keep believing, keep getting behind us.
Message to the fans
We’re so proud of all that you’ve done and the whole world has seen how amazing fans you are. I’m one of you, I’m a Black Stars fan too, I always have been, and I’m representing you and we all are. We want to do you proud. So, let’s keep on fighting, keep on believing, and stay together always. Then no one can beat us.
