Ghana defeated Switzerland 2-0 in Abu Dhabi, in a final World Cup warm-up match, with goals from Southampton defender Mohammed Salisu and Bristol City attacker Antoine Semenyo.
The Black Stars enter the World Cup as the tournament’s lowest-ranked team at no.61, but their victory over Switzerland, which is 46 places higher in the world standings, will give them confidence.
Centre-back Salisu, 23, opened the scoring for the Black Stars in the 70th minute with a looping header from a badly defended corner, and then Semenyo scored from close range four minutes later following a storming run by Kamaldeen Sulemana.
Both players earned their Ghana debuts this year, with Salisu earning his first cap in a 3-0 friendly defeat by Brazil in September and Semenyo, 22, making his debut in a 3-0 Africa Cup of Nations qualification triumph over Madagascar in June.
With first-choice Jojo Wollacott out with a finger injury and the veteran Richard Ofori also absent, Lawrence Ati-Zigi began in goal.
Ghana’s opening Group H game is against Portugal on Thursday, and the Black Stars then face South Korea on November 28 before the much-anticipated game against Uruguay in their final group encounter on December 2.
Lineup:
GHANA v Switzerland: Ati-Zigi, Lamptey, Amartey, Salisu, Rahman, Abdul Samed, Owusu, Afriyie Barnieh, A Ayew, J Ayew, Williams.
Subs used: Sulemana (for Williams 62), Sowah (for Afriyie Barnieh 62), Semenyo (J Ayew 62), Kyereh (for Owusu 62), Aidoo (for Salisu 77), Seidu (for Lamptey 80).