Ghana Black Stars head coach Carlos Queiroz has praised his side’s composure and intelligence after they edged Panama 1-0 in a tense 2026 FIFA World Cup Group L opener in Toronto.
The Black Stars endured a difficult evening at BMO Field on Wednesday, struggling to impose themselves as Panama controlled long spells of the match and limited Ghana’s attacking rhythm.
However, the game turned dramatically in stoppage time when Caleb Yirenkyi struck the decisive goal to seal all three points for the four-time African champions.
It marked a winning start for Queiroz at the World Cup with Ghana, though the Portuguese manager admitted his team were forced to weather sustained pressure before finding the right moment to execute their 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,” he added.
The result places Ghana second in Group L, behind England, who defeated Croatia 4-2 in their opening fixture.
Attention now shifts quickly to a challenging run of matches, with Ghana set to face England at Gillette Stadium on June 23 before concluding their group campaign against Croatia on June 27.
With three points secured, the Black Stars will be aiming to carry momentum into those decisive encounters as they chase a return to the knockout stage for the first time since their memorable 2010 World Cup quarter-final run in South Africa.
