World Cup 2026: Ghana clash ‘there for anyone to win’ – Colombia boss Lorenzo

Colombia head coach Nestor Lorenzo says his side is preparing for a difficult encounter against Ghana ahead of their Round of 32 clash at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The South American nation will face the Black Stars on Saturday, July 4, with both countries aiming to secure a place in the Round of 16 stage of the tournament.

Lorenzo admitted before the game that Colombia are uncertain about the tactical approach Ghana could adopt and warned that his players must be fully prepared for different scenarios.

“I don’t know if Ghana will present a low block. Maybe they want to surprise us or come out and attack with everything,” Lorenzo said in his pre-match interview.

Lorenzo says knockout tie could be decided by fine margins

The Colombia coach also stressed that the competition has become extremely balanced, making every knockout fixture difficult to predict.

According to Lorenzo, quality alone may not be enough to progress, with efficiency and luck likely to play a major role in deciding the outcome of the contest.

“The feeling is that the competition is incredibly even and that it is there for anyone to win. Besides playing well, you need that little bit of effectiveness and luck,” the Colombia coach added.

His comments will further underline the growing respect Ghana have earned after their performances during the group stage of the World Cup.

Ghana seek to keep Africa’s World Cup hopes alive

The Black Stars booked their place in the Round of 32 after navigating a challenging Group L campaign.

Ghana defeated Panama 1-0, held England to a goalless draw, and narrowly lost 2-1 to Croatia to finish third in the group standings.

The West African side will now look to pull off another impressive result against one of South America’s strongest teams as they aim to keep Africa represented in the competition.

Colombia arrive unbeaten from Group K

Colombia advanced to the knockout stage after finishing top of Group K with an unbeaten record.

Lorenzo’s side opened their World Cup campaign with a 3-1 victory over Uzbekistan before recording a 1-0 win against DR Congo. They later played out a goalless draw with Portugal to seal top spot in the group.

With both nations showing strong defensive organisation during the group stage, Saturday’s encounter is expected to be closely fought as Ghana chase a famous World Cup victory.