Black Stars defender Jerome Opoku has described Ghana’s opening victory against Panama at the 2026 FIFA World Cup as the ideal start to their campaign.
The four-time African champions began their Group L journey with a hard-fought 1-0 win over the Central American side on Wednesday night at BMO Field, securing a crucial three points in their first match of the tournament.
Midfielder Caleb Yirenkyi emerged as the hero, scoring a late winner to hand Ghana a deserved victory and boost their hopes of progressing from the group stage.
Speaking to Ghana FA Media after the match, Opoku expressed delight with the team’s performance and the positive atmosphere within the camp.
“I think the players, the staff, everyone’s happy with the result. I think the three points are the most important thing,” Opoku said.
“And now we feel a good vibe in the training rooms and positive energy, which is what we needed to go into the next game.
“So, I think it was a perfect, perfect result for us,” he added.
The victory leaves Ghana second in Group L, behind England, who began their World Cup campaign with an emphatic 4-2 win over Croatia.
Otto Addo’s side will now shift their focus to a highly anticipated encounter against England at Gillette Stadium on June 23 before concluding their group-stage campaign against Croatia four days later.
Buoyed by their winning start, the Black Stars will be aiming to build momentum and secure a place in the knockout rounds for the first time since their memorable quarter-final run at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.
