Ghana head coach Carlos Queiroz has lauded his side’s resilience and tactical discipline after the Black Stars snatched a late 1-0 win over Panama in their opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The four-time African champions endured a difficult evening at BMO Field in Toronto on Wednesday, struggling to assert control as Panama dictated large spells of a disjointed contest.
After a largely subdued first half and sustained pressure from the Central American side, Ghana eventually found the breakthrough deep into stoppage time when Caleb Yirenkyi struck the decisive goal to secure all three points.
Despite the narrow victory marking a strong start to Queiroz’s World Cup tenure with Ghana, the Portuguese coach admitted his team were forced to weather long periods without possession before executing their match plan.
“We battled like warriors,” Queiroz told ITV during a post-match interview.
“We won the game with our brains. First, we had to suffer against a great team.
“They know how to play. We knew they would control the game. But step by step, our strategy was to let them come. This is the way to win.”
The result places Ghana second in Group L behind England, who recorded a 4-2 win over Croatia in their opening fixture.
Attention now turns to a decisive run of matches, with Ghana set to face England at Gillette Stadium on June 23 before wrapping up their group campaign against Croatia on June 27.
With three points already secured, the Black Stars will look to build momentum as they chase a return to the knockout stages for the first time since their memorable quarter-final run at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
