Black Stars head coach Carlos Queiroz has praised his players for their determination and resilience following Ghana’s dramatic victory over Panama, describing their performance as that of “warriors” who earned a hard-fought win through sacrifice and intelligence.
Ghana secured a 1-0 victory in their opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup after Caleb Yirenkyi scored a dramatic stoppage-time winner in the 95th minute from a Brandon Thomas-Asante assist.
Reflecting on the performance after the match, Queiroz said the players demonstrated the commitment required to succeed at football’s biggest stage.
“The players fought like warriors. To win at this level, you must sacrifice. A win at this World Cup is very expensive,” he said.
The Portuguese coach added that the team showed character and composure when it mattered most.
“We battled like warriors and came back and won with brains,” Queiroz stated.
Meanwhile, Ghana forward Antoine Semenyo has insisted the Black Stars will not allow their opening World Cup victory to breed complacency as they prepare for a crucial Group L encounter against England.
The victory over Panama leaves Ghana well positioned in the group, but Semenyo says the squad remains fully focused on the challenges ahead.
England also began their World Cup campaign with a victory, defeating Croatia 4-2 to set up a potentially decisive clash with Ghana on June 23.
Speaking after the win over Panama, Semenyo stressed that the team would remain grounded despite the positive start to the tournament.
“We know it’s going to be a tough game,” he said.
“We feel like we’re not going to get ahead of ourselves. We know we want to win that game. But we know it’s not going to be easy.
“So we have to make sure we recover well and make sure we train well leading up to that weekend.”
The Black Stars will now turn their attention to the highly anticipated showdown against England in Boston before concluding their Group L campaign against Croatia.
