Ghana head coach Carlos Queiroz has praised his team’s calmness and smart approach after their 1-0 victory over Panama in their opening Group L match at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Toronto.
The Black Stars faced a difficult challenge at BMO Field on Wednesday as Panama controlled large parts of the game and made it hard for Ghana to create attacking chances.
However, the match changed in stoppage time when Caleb Yirenkyi scored the winning goal to secure all three points for Ghana.
The victory gave Queiroz a winning start at the World Cup with the Black Stars. The Portuguese coach admitted his team had to stay patient and absorb pressure before their game plan worked.
“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,” he added.
The win moves Ghana to second place in Group L behind England, who beat Croatia 4-2 in the group’s other match.
The Black Stars will now turn their attention to a tough run of games. Ghana will face England at Gillette Stadium on June 23 before playing Croatia on June 27 in their final group match.
After collecting three important points against Panama, Ghana will hope to carry that momentum into the upcoming matches as they aim to reach the knockout stage for the first time since their memorable quarter-final run at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
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