Ghana head coach Carlos Queiroz has admitted it is still too early to determine whether first-choice goalkeeper Lawrence Ati-Zigi will be available for the Black Stars' final Group L game at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after missing the crucial clash against England.
Ati-Zigi was absent as Ghana produced a disciplined defensive performance to hold England to a goalless draw, a result that strengthened the Black Stars' hopes of progressing to the Round of 32.
Speaking at his post-match press conference, Queiroz revealed that the technical team will make a final assessment of the goalkeeper's condition after training on Wednesday.
"Well, not sure yet. Tomorrow we have training and that will be decisive for us to have a picture about him," the experienced Portuguese tactician said.
The 73-year-old also used the opportunity to pay tribute to several key players Ghana have been forced to do without during the tournament, highlighting the team's resilience despite a growing injury list.
"We have to remember the four players we lost a couple of weeks before the World Cup, which is Mohammed Salisu, Mohammed Kudus, Alexander Djiku and Ati-Zigi. So this effort from the team is dedicated to these four starting members," Queiroz added.
The absence of several established stars has tested Ghana's squad depth throughout the competition, yet the Black Stars have continued to fight strongly under Queiroz's leadership.
The team opened their campaign with victory over Panama before frustrating one of the tournament favourites, England, in a hard-fought stalemate.
Ati-Zigi's potential return would be a significant boost for Ghana ahead of their decisive final group-stage encounter.
The goalkeeper has been one of the Black Stars' most reliable performers in recent years and produced key saves during Ghana's opening World Cup victory.
For now, however, Queiroz and the Ghana technical team remain cautious as they await the outcome of the next training session before making a final decision on the shot-stopper's availability.
With qualification to the knockout stage still within reach, Ghana will hope to welcome back at least some of their injured stars as they prepare for another crucial World Cup assignment.
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