2026 World Cup: Black Stars ready to embrace pressure ahead of Colombia clash

Black Stars forward Antoine Semenyo says Ghana are prepared to handle the pressure of the knockout stage as they gear up for a Round of 32 meeting with Colombia at the 2026 World Cup.

Ghana advanced to the last 32 after finishing third in Group L, setting up a high-stakes encounter in Kansas City on Saturday, July 4.

Speaking ahead of the match, the 26-year-old acknowledged the weight of expectation on the squad but insisted it reflects the team’s growing quality on the global stage.

"There is definitely pressure, but I feel like the pressure is because we've got such a good team. But over the years, it's like our team's got so much better. And now we feel like we're on the world stage. We want to compete with all the top nations," the Manchester City forward said.

Despite scoring twice in the group phase, Semenyo rejected any suggestion that Ghana should see themselves as underdogs against the South Americans, pointing instead to what he believes is a strong pool of talent within the Black Stars setup under head coach Carlos Queiroz.

"We've got the same talent. So why are we not up there? So I feel like we're at a stage now where we're getting there. We're getting there, slowly building, and hopefully in the next years to come, we can compete."

The Black Stars have already arrived in Kansas City and are scheduled to hold training sessions ahead of the clash.

The match is set for a 01:30 GMT kick-off at Kansas City Stadium.