The first sign came from Cabo Verde. When Vozinha produced a performance of defiance earlier in the tournament, it felt like a familiar World Cup story — a goalkeeper from an unfancied nation refusing to accept the script. Two weeks into the tournament, it no longer feels like an isolated reaction. This World Cup is becoming a celebration of goalkeeping, of resistance, of the final line of defence taking it upon themselves to keep hopes alive. On Tuesday, Benjamin Asare for Ghana and Lionel Mpasi for DR Congo delivered two more reminders that, for all the game’s obsession with systems and attacking patterns, some matches can still belong to a goalkeeper.
For 90 minutes in Foxborough, Asare stood between England and perfection. Mpasi came close, till he gave in to a beauty of a goal in the 76th minute. The numbers narrate a story of staggering resistance. England finished with 19 shots to Ghana’s two. They enjoyed almost four times as much possession before half-time and did not allow Ghana a single attempt in the opening 45 minutes. Yet they couldn’t score. The reason was Asare.
Calm when England increased the tempo, authoritative when crosses arrived and decisive when the pressure became relentless, Asare inspired belief into his side with every save. England’s first effort on target did not arrive until the 57th minute, Anthony Gordon forcing Asare into action after a spell of sustained pressure.
As the game entered its final stages, England threw everything forward. Nico O’Reilly’s header rattled the crossbar. Harry Kane blazed the rebound over. Marc Guehi thought he had found the breakthrough only for his header to be cleared away. Every near-miss sent the tension through the roof, every Ghana clearance was greeted like a goal. With the draw, Ghana had secured a point that keeps them level with England at the top of Group L and strengthens their hopes of reaching the knockout stage for the first time since 2010.
For England, it was a frustrating evening. For Asare, it was a career-defining one. Yet remarkable as his display was, it may not even have been the most extraordinary goalkeeping performance of the day. That honour belonged to Mpasi, who pulled off eight saves, even though DR Congo went down 0-1 to Colombia who qualified for the knockouts.
For 75 minutes, Colombia subjected DR Congo to an examination that bordered on the absurd. They attacked from every angle, creating chances at a rate rarely seen in this tournament. By half-time they had taken 14 shots. Daniel Munoz had already seen a goal ruled out for offside. Nine of Colombia’s ten outfield players would eventually register an attempt on goal. The expected outcome seemed obvious. Mpasi had other ideas though.
He became the first goalkeeper since Jamaica’s Warren Barrett against Argentina in 1998 to make five saves in the first 20 minutes of a World Cup match, the shots on target becoming a record in this World Cup. Colombia were dominating but not winning, Congo were hanging on but beginning to believe. Then came the moment that encapsulated Mpasi’s evening.
In the 64th minute Juan Fernando Quintero spread the ball to Johan Mojica on the left. The full-back delivered a cross that appeared destined to drift into the far corner. But Mpasi stretched out a hand to divert it away before recovering instantly to punch clear the resulting corner.
It was as far as he could have bent the game. So relentless were Colombia that they eventually found a way through. Munoz was again at the forefront this time, supplied by a clever through from Jhon Cordoba. Munoz paused, took aim and swept a low finish beyond Mpasi at the near post through the smallest angle possible. On a day Mpasi was parrying everything that came his way with his hands, feet and body, so soft was that goal that it felt like a gentle prick to his accumulating pride.
Congo went down, but they still aren’t out. Having held Portugal before, they can still potentially qualify if they win against Uzbekistan. It could have been worse. Had it not been for Mpasi, Colombia could have been 3-0 ahead at half-time. That’s how great goalkeeping can make a difference even when the odds are stacked against a team. Vozinha showed the blueprint, Asare used it to frustrate England, before Mpasi nearly denied Colombia.
