Sarpei Sees Signs of Progress as Black Stars Regroup for 2026 World Cup
Former Black Stars defender Hans Adu Sarpei believes Ghana still has enough time to fine-tune its performance ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, despite a difficult run in recent friendlies.
The national team endured a challenging international window, suffering a heavy 5–1 defeat to Austria before narrowly losing 2–1 to Germany. While the results raised concerns, Sarpei insists the overall picture is not entirely negative.
Reflecting on the defeat to Germany, the former defender pointed to the team’s inability to hold on in the closing stages as a key issue.
“Germany are a very good team, so losing 2–1 is not necessarily a bad result. However, when you are level going into the final minute, you need to fight to at least secure that one point,” he told Joy Sports.
Despite the late setback, Sarpei noted a clear improvement in performance compared to the earlier loss in Vienna.
“After the 5–1 defeat to Austria, the response we showed against Germany was encouraging. We played much better, but there is still room for improvement.”
His comments reflect a sense of cautious optimism as Ghana continues its build-up to the World Cup. While results have not gone in their favour, the gradual improvement in performance offers a foundation the team can build on in the months ahead.
With more preparatory matches scheduled, the focus for the Black Stars will be on tightening their defence, maintaining concentration in key moments, and converting promising displays into positive results on the global stage.
