Win over Panama has boosted Ghana's confidence - Thomas-Asante

Ghana forward Brandon Thomas-Asante has said that the Black Stars are full of confidence ahead of their crucial World Cup encounter against England following their victory over Panama.

The Coventry City striker believes Ghana's opening win has strengthened the squad's belief and eased any pressure heading into the much-anticipated showdown.

Speaking ahead of the game, Thomas-Asante stressed that the team remains focused on its mission and is not concerned about opinions from outside the camp.

"We back ourselves, we believe in ourselves. Whether people on the outside doubt us or believe in us, that's not what we think about. We think about why we're here. We're on a mission," he said.

The forward added that being overlooked by some observers has become a source of motivation for the Black Stars.

"There's even less pressure for us. We know our fans believe in us, but we also know some people might want to overlook us. We use that to our advantage by preparing properly and believing that we can go and do something special," he stated.

Thomas-Asante noted that Ghana's positive start to the tournament has given the players a major confidence boost, especially considering the challenges teams often face in opening matches at major competitions.

"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 confidence boost".

"We know that we can allow ourselves to be free to chase after more good results and more points. We believe we can do something," Thomas-Asante added.

He also highlighted the importance of squad members getting valuable playing time during the opening fixture, saying it would help improve match fitness as the tournament progresses.

"A lot of people got minutes into their legs and having those minutes is good because you can build match fitness. So we're feeling good," he concluded.

PAH/JE