Ghana head coach Carlos Queiroz believes the Black Stars gained important lessons from Saturday’s defeat to Croatia, which may be crucial in the 2026 FIFA World Cup knockout stage.

Despite a 2-1 loss in Philadelphia, Ghana progressed to the Round of 32, where they will face Colombia.

Queiroz emphasized the team’s ongoing development since his appointment earlier this year, rather than focusing solely on the result.

“I learned a lot from this game,” he said.

“The best thing about this match is what we learned. We made significant progress in terms of our evolution and development.”

Queiroz stated the match provided greater insight into his squad and allowed him to evaluate a new tactical approach.

“We now have a clearer picture of some players’ performances and what we can do differently in the next games.”

After halftime, Queiroz switched Ghana to a 4-4-2 formation, which improved their second-half performance and resulted in Derrick Luckassen’s equalizer.

“It was the first time we played with two forwards in a 4-4-2 system. We haven’t had much time to work on it, but the players responded well.”

He believes the system will become more effective with further refinement.

“With a few adjustments, we can be even better, as we showed in the second half.”

Queiroz reminded his players that qualification is only the first step as they look ahead to the knockout rounds.

“We either win or we learn. Today, we learned,” he said.

“The real World Cup begins in the next game.”

The Black Stars will now shift their focus to Colombia, with a win securing their place in the Round of 16.