Ex-Salford City attacker Brandon Thomas-Asante could etch his name into the Ghanaian history books with a big performance in tonight’s match against England at the World Cup.
Thomas-Asante stepped off the bench to help Ghana to a late 1-0 victory over Panama and will be more than pleased with the mark he left on his World Cup debut.
Meanwhile, England ran out 4-2 victors over a resistant Croatia side in their opening game, with Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham and Declan Rice among the star performers in Dallas.
The Three Lions’ marvellous attacking display left fans confident over the bigger picture in Thomas Tuchel’s first tournament match in charge.
Victory over Ghana would see England secure a place in the knockout rounds of the tournament before their final group game against Panama.
One player who will no doubt be vying for a memorable performance in this game is former Salford City man Brandon Thomas-Asante, who makes up part of Ghana’s 26-man squad.
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Although the Coventry City attacker did not feature from the start last time out, he came flying off the bench to set up Caleb Yirenkwe’s last-gasp winner to ensure The Black Stars made it a winning start to their World Cup campaign.
The Ghana star made over 120 appearances in Salford red across three campaigns in League Two.
Thomas-Asante scored 30 goals during his impressive stay at the Peninsula Stadium before he earned a big move to the Championship with West Bromwich Albion.
In 2022, fresh off the back of a standout season that saw the attacker net 11 goals and record four assists, the then 23-year-old told Salford Now about the importance of setting healthy individual targets so he could continue to grow and improve as a player.
“I tend to go on a game-by-game basis in a similar way that the managers put into us in everything that we do to have a certain standard,” he said.
At the time, he was full of praise for the supporters who had backed him and said he wanted to take on a starring role in the team moving forwards.
“I feel like I want to contribute in any way I can in any given day, so I enjoy having that responsibility. It’s good to know the fans are behind me and I definitely want to take on that role again this year.”
A month later, the forward would move to West Brom, but he will look back at his time at Salford as the springboard to his success.
Having just been promoted to the Premier League with Coventry City and representing his nation at the World Cup Finals, Asante can reflect on the decisions that have shaped an astronomical rise, including this move from Ebbsfleet to Salford City in 2019.
A start on Tuesday night in Boston, Massachusetts, will be the aim for the now top-flight winger, who goes up against his country of birth, itching to make a mark on the biggest stage of all.
