2026 World Cup Qualifiers: Benjamin Asare ends Black Stars debut with clean sheets against Chad and Madagascar

Hearts of Oak goalkeeper Benjamin Asare marked his debut for the Black Stars in style, keeping two consecutive clean sheets in Ghana’s World Cup qualifying campaign.

The 32-year-old earned his maiden call-up to the senior national team following a string of impressive performances in the ongoing 2024/25 Ghana Premier League season, where he had already recorded 12 clean sheets in 18 matches.

Asare was handed his debut in Ghana’s Matchday 5 fixture against Chad in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers at the Accra Sports Stadium last Friday.

In a bold move, the technical team named him as the starting goalkeeper ahead of Lawrence Ati Zigi and Jojo Wollacott. The decision paid off, as Ghana secured a dominant 5-0 victory to climb to the top of Group I.

The Hearts of Oak shot-stopper retained his place between the posts for the crucial clash against Madagascar on Monday night at the Al Hoceima Grand Stadium in Morocco.

Thomas Partey netted twice, while Mohammed Kudus sealed the win with a stunning strike, as Ghana cruised to a 3-0 victory.

With Asare once again keeping a clean sheet, the Black Stars extended their lead in Group I with 15 points, five ahead of second-placed Madagascar, with four games left in the qualifiers.

Asare’s outstanding performances against Chad and Madagascar have strengthened his case to become Ghana’s first-choice goalkeeper moving forward.

The Black Stars will now shift their focus to their upcoming qualifiers in September, where they will face Chad away before hosting Mali in Matchday 7 and 8 of the campaign.