Benjamin Asare made history at Gillette Stadium on Tuesday evening, becoming the first locally-based Ghanaian goalkeeper to start a FIFA World Cup match.
He marked the occasion with a clean sheet as the Black Stars held tournament favourites England to a 0-0 draw in Foxboro.
The 33-year-old Accra Hearts of Oak shot-stopper denied Bukayo Saka with a flying save, dominated his six-yard box on a barrage of late England corners, and walked off the pitch with the Group L table now firmly tilted in Ghana’s favour.
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Asare’s presence in the starting line-up had not been the original plan. Lawrence Ati-Zigi had been Ghana’s outstanding performer in the first half of the Panama opener in Toronto until a heavy collision in his six-yard box left him struggling with what was later confirmed as a groin issue.
Carlos Queiroz and his goalkeepers coach, Daniel Gaspar, withdrew him at half-time and sent on Asare for what became his World Cup debut.
He produced a composed half, made three meaningful interventions, and stood firm through the breathless final minutes as
Caleb Yirenkyi’s 95th-minute winner sealed a 1-0 victory.
Six days later, after Ati-Zigi failed a late fitness test in Foxboro, the call was Asare’s to keep. He repaid that trust in full. Asked afterwards in the mixed zone if he had surprised himself, the Hearts of Oak goalkeeper did not blink.
“I’m so impressed with myself. I think that’s my job. Once it’s must job, I must prove it anytime when I’m on the field of play.”
His head coach Queiroz was unequivocal and full of praise for the goalkeeper.
“I think Benjamin Asare deserves awards. He was brilliant.”
The most striking thing about Asare in the mixed zone, though, was his refusal to romanticise the occasion. Asked specifically about going eyeball-to-eyeball with Harry Kane, the Ghanaian shrugged.
“It's normal. To my personal self, I think it's normal because once I'm in the field of play, it's normal. It's normal because even top goalkeepers, they score them.”
Ghana now turn their attention to a final group match against Croatia in Philadelphia on Saturday.
