Black Stars suffer first defeat under Chris Hughton

Ghana’s head coach, Chris Hughton, experienced his inaugural defeat as the leader of the Black Stars in an international friendly match against Mexico at Charlotte’s Bank of America Stadium.

The Black Stars are currently touring the United States for two friendly matches as part of their preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

The four-time African champions began the match energetically, mounting early offensive moves. Nevertheless, Mexico assumed dominance of the game starting from the 25th minute onwards.

Ghana experienced a major setback when Joseph Aidoo was substituted in the 28th minute due to injury, with Clermont Foot’s Alidu Seidu stepping in.

Ghana employed a three-defender setup that proved successful for a significant portion of the first half, resulting in a scoreless tie at halftime.

In the second half, stand-in captain Thomas Partey was replaced by Salis Abdul Samed.

PSV Eindhoven star Hirving Lozano opened the scoring in the 57th minute, marking the game’s first goal.

Mexico extended their lead in the 72nd minute through Atuna, who capitalized on a counter-attack.

Chris Hughton introduced more offensive power, including Jordan Ayew, Ernest Nuamah, and Inaki Williams, making tactical changes following the second goal.

Nonetheless, Ghana encountered difficulties breaking through Mexico’s aggressive defensive line. Atuna seized an opportunity in the 72nd minute due to an error, securing the second goal and clinching victory for Mexico.

Ghana’s next friendly match will be against the United States in Nashville, Tennessee, on Tuesday.