Derrick Luckassen experienced a rollercoaster of emotions on Saturday night, scoring on his World Cup debut but ultimately left disappointed as Ghana fell 2-1 to Croatia at Lincoln Financial Field.
The Pafos defender, who was handed his first World Cup start after Jerome Opoku was rested as a precaution, headed home in the 73rd minute to bring Ghana level against the 2018 runners-up.
However, Croatia quickly restored their lead through Nikola Vlasic, securing the victory and confirming their progression to the knockout stage.
Speaking after the match, Luckassen admitted that while scoring on his World Cup debut was a special moment, the defeat left a bitter taste.
"Nice feeling [for scoring], but I am a bit disappointed about the loss," he said.
The 30-year-old defender, who was a late addition to Ghana's squad after replacing the injured Alexander Djiku, reflected on the team's performance. He acknowledged that Ghana struggled to impose themselves in the first half but improved significantly after the break.
"I think in the first half, we had the ball, but we didn't do a lot; we were just playing around, but in the second half, we pressed forward, and we tried to put the balls in and it was much better, in my opinion," Luckassen said.
Despite the defeat, Ghana had already secured their place in the knockout stages before kick-off, thanks to their 1-0 win over Panama and goalless draw against England. The Black Stars finished third in Group L with four points and will now face the winner of Group K in the round of 32.
For Luckassen, his debut goal will be a cherished memory, but his focus has already shifted to Ghana's knockout challenge.
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