Young midfielder Emmanuel Agyei enhanced his growing reputation after delivering an assured and mature performance for Ghana in their 2-0 international friendly defeat to Mexico at the Estadio Cuauhtémoc in Puebla on Saturday.
The 21-year-old Dundee United star was trusted with a starting role and quickly justified the decision, producing one of the most encouraging displays for the Black Stars on an otherwise difficult night against the CONCACAF giants.
With head coach Carlos Queiroz absent, assistant trainer Desmond Ofei oversaw the team and will undoubtedly have been pleased by Agyei’s contribution in midfield as competition intensifies for places in Ghana’s final 26-man squad for the FIFA World Cup.
⏱️ 𝗙𝗨𝗟𝗟-𝗧𝗜𝗠𝗘 in Puebla 📍
A valuable test for the team as preparations continue towards the #FIFAWorldCup.
🇲🇽 Mexico 2-0 Ghana 🇬🇭#BlackStars
— 🇬🇭 Black Stars (@GhanaBlackstars) May 23, 2026
Mexico found the breakthrough in the opening half through Brian Gutiérrez before Guillermo Martínez added a second goal later in the game to secure victory for the hosts.
Although the result went against Ghana, Agyei emerged as one of the biggest positives from the encounter. Playing in central midfield alongside Majeed Ashimeru, the former Ghana youth international dictated play with calmness and confidence, consistently showing quality in possession while helping transition the team from defence to attack.
His sharp passing, positional awareness and ability to break opposition lines gave Ghana moments of control during key phases of the contest. Agyei also displayed composure under pressure and showed tactical discipline throughout his 75-minute outing before being replaced by Salim Adams.
The midfielder’s impressive showing earned him a strong 8.0 match rating and further strengthened his push for inclusion in Ghana’s World Cup squad ahead of the upcoming announcement.
Agyei only joined Scottish Premiership side Dundee United in January but has adapted quickly to life in Scotland, making 11 league appearances during an encouraging first spell with the club.
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Ghana are gearing up for their fifth appearance at the FIFA World Cup and will compete in Group D alongside Panama, England and Croatia.
The Black Stars begin their tournament campaign against Panama at BMO Field on June 17 before taking on England at Boston Stadium on June 23. Ghana will then conclude the group phase against Croatia at Lincoln Financial Field on June 27.
