Ghanaian goalkeeper Benjamin Asare has completed a remarkable journey from a career-threatening injury and humble beginnings to World Cup heroics, and is now poised to secure his nation's place in the knockout stages. After 18 months on the sidelines, he is set to seek another clean sheet in Ghana’s final Group L fixture against Croatia on Saturday.Asare’s standout performance against England, where he faced 19 shots in a 0-0 draw, all but sealed the Black Stars’ progression to the round of 32. This display brought his grandmother to tears and sparked celebrations among fans outside his Accra home.The 33-year-old’s path to the national team has been anything but conventional. Following a modest career in the Ghana Premier League, most recently with Hearts of Oak, he was advised to retire after a broken leg in 2021. Asare kept a clean sheet against England (Reuters)Yet, having previously worked as a bus conductor and taken on various odd jobs, Asare refused to let his football dreams fade. Until last year, he relied on public transport for training, scraping a living from the sport. Now, he stands as an equal against multi-millionaire opponents.Despite a late call-up to the national team in March 2025 at the age of 32, Asare has been instrumental, keeping five clean sheets in six World Cup qualifiers and adding two more during the current finals."Facing Harry Kane is normal. I always want to prove myself and show people that this is my job and I can do it," Asare stated after the England match. "They (his teammates) know that I can do it. I thank almighty God that he answered my prayers and everything has been successful."Ghana coach Carlos Queiroz, known for avoiding individual praise, broke his own rule to commend Asare’s heroic performance. "I avoid talking about individual players but I think he deserves applause," Queiroz said. "He was brilliant and this is only due to the quality of the player, first of all, and the work that we did with all of them."Ghana will secure at least second place in Group L with a draw against Croatia in Philadelphia, and could even top the pool should leaders England falter against Panama.