Ghana ended a run of five consecutive losses when they held Wales to a 1-1 draw at the Cardiff City Stadium.

While Ghana did not win, the manner of their second-half performance suggests that new coach Carlos Queiroz may be able to get a tune out of this uber-talented group.

The Black Stars played with tactical clarity and dynamism, which has not been seen since the World Cup Qualifiers.

The first half, however, was a reminder that it will take more than a few games to build cohesiveness.

In the end, there were valuable lessons for the technical team and for the players, some winners and losers.

Winners

Marvin Senaya

Can we call Otto Addo and sack him again?

Of his many sins, possibly the worst Otto Addo did was when he recklessly and dishonestly said that Ghana would not find a right back before the World Cup started.

On Tuesday, Marvin Senaya disproved that in a day’s work.

He tracked his marker, won most of his duels, all the while staying in sync with a backline that was trying to find itself.

Further up the pitch, he always made decoy runs, improving Abdul Fatawu Issahaku’s options on the break.

He did not get the opportunity to show how good he is at crosses, but if Senaya is decent at crosses, Ghana may have just found a competent right back.

Jonas Adjetey

Boy, did he need that performance!

After conceding consecutive penalties against Austria and Germany, Adjetey became the latest bête noire of the team.

However, Tuesday night brought redemption.

Well-timed tackles, aerially dominant, and an encouraging partnership with Jerome Opoku.

That performance should give Carlos Queiroz some selection headaches over who replaces Alex Djiku as the right centre back.

Caleb Yirenkyi.

Are we surprised? Yirenkyi has always been a dynamite waiting to explode.

The goal will make the highlight reels, but the energy and the lung-bursting run that made it possible are partly why Ghana’s midfield looked different.

He was always an option to pass the ball to.

That meant more options for his teammates, especially the defenders.

With the extra man, Ghana could build up with composure instead of going long every time.

He kept the passing simple, too, and was not afraid to put in the tackle when necessary.

People have scoffed at suggestions that he is the future of Ghana’s midfield. He is the future, willy-nilly.

Ernest Nuamah.

There are very few things more pleasing to watch than an explosive winger blessed with close control, in full flight.

That is Nuamah, and against Wales, he brought out all the skills in his locker, justifying why, despite his ACL injury, despite playing only 32 minutes in the past season, Carlos Queiroz gambled on him.

Yirenkyi scored the opener, but his pace, close control, and well-timed shot created the magic.

He was a refreshing break from Fatawu Issahaku, who offered little from the same position in the first half.

Losers.

Thomas Partey.

Partey’s lack of relevant minutes showed on Tuesday night.

He could not keep up with the intensity of the game and was forced into making two fouls, the second of which could have been a second yellow card, but for the referee’s kindness.

When on the ball, Partey’s inventive passing appears to have deserted him.

There are no suggestions that he will not return to his best.

But the next friendly match may not be enough for him to get up to pace in time for the World Cup opener against Panama.

Baba Rahman.

Baba Rahman was brought on to prevent precisely the kind of goal Ghana conceded.

He made a half-hearted attempt to stop Neco Williams, allowing the Nottingham Forrest defender to comfortably find Kouman for the Welsh leveler.

After everything that was said about him, Baba Rahman did not cover himself in glory.

Mistakes like that, especially because it was Baba Rahman, will be micro-analyzed, and that is not what he needs.

Abdul Fatawu Issahaku.

I am firmly convinced that Fatawu Issahakau has a doppelganger.

The real one just came off his most productive season, scoring 9 times and creating 7 assists in 44 appearances for Leicester City.

The other is the inconsistent, unproductive winger who shows up in the Black Sars and performs once every 36 moons.

On Tuesday, the fake ignored Senayah’s overlapping runs and was reluctant to combine with teammates in better positions.

When his teammates needed him to be the outlet, he lost the ball faster than the speed of light.

Did he complete any take-ons or crosses? Good luck trying to find that!

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Ghana Wales: Winners and losers after Black Stars draw

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