In the cold nights at 11: 00pm local time on June 17 many came out in their numbers to support the Black Stars, wore the national jerseys, paraphernalia with pride, smile, and confidence, as the players took to the field for another outing, a moment signifying a lot to the local populace and the diasporas at the BMO Stadium of Toronto, Sankofa Square, and around the globe.

READ MORE : Black Stars: ‘I would like to start every game’ – Thomas-Asante

Prior to the lineup, there were heavy expectations that this game would be a walk in the park for the boys against Panama, so when the lineup was announced an hour before kick-off with a lot of attackers (Ernest Nuamah, Kamaldeen Sulemana, Antoine Semenyo, and captain Jordan Ayew), the general plan was that the boys would kill this with cheeky ease. At least that was the general consensus, where I watched the game (Bawleshie and Accra Mall), but the script was different from what transpired on the field.

In this piece, I have penned down a few observations from the win against Panama.

If the top-level management of the Ghana Football Association knew what they were getting from appointing Portuguese trainer Carlos Querioz, it was for his defensive compactness, and that is a model he has perfected with a lot of his teams from his past. A huge contrast to how the Black Stars play naturally, an attacking fluid side backing their output with goals, but that is not what the Portuguese was bringing to the table.  The Black Stars lost six friendly games consecutively, conceding fourteen goals and scoring just three goals despite the quality of attackers in the setup. The team played just a friendly game against Wales, ending in 1-1, something that did not sit well with a lot of people, but the training sessions supervised by Queiroz exposed the boys to a lot of tactics. Their training regimens were highly intensive, speaking volumes about a clear path.

The team conceded possession to Panama largely in the game, in the first half the opposition garnered a whopping 64% possession to 36%, passing accuracy of 88% to 83%, they created chances with an XG 0.11 to 0.00, 3 shots to 0, 25% crosses to 0%, it was though the Black Stars came combed pitch and did nothing to solidify their presence. The stats did not favor them in any way, to say the least.

READ MORE : Black Stars: ‘I would like to start every game’ – Thomas-Asante

There were tweaks in the second half. Benjamin Asare (Hearts of Oak) made his World Cup bow for the injured Ati-Zigi. Ernest Nuamah and Kamaldeen Sulemana were subbed off for Fatawu Issahkuu and Thomas-Asante Brandon, a clear like-for-like changes considering the former failed to make an impact on the game.

The introduction of the two outfielders did work magic for the way the team played. They attacked the spaces more, created several chances, made runs, and their interchangeability was visible as they kept running and probing for a goal. To a large extent, it brought Antoine Semenyo to life, a complete shadow of himself in the first half. He was livelier and combined with the others to attack spaces in the Panama defense. It was no sham to see that the numbers take an upsurge from an XG 0.0 to 1.31, possession rose to 5%, total shots surged from 0 to 7, and had 11 touches in the opposition box. This is what experience buys in you, Carlos Queiroz. He weighed in on how the team played and made tweaks that paid huge dividends in the end, something Otto Addo did not have the courage to do in his game management of the team.

READ MORE : Black Stars: ‘I would like to start every game’ – Thomas-Asante

When Mohammed Salisu and later Alexander Djiku were ruled out with injuries, it gave Ghanaians a lot to thinker about with weeks set for the World Cup. A conundrum filled many with loads of questions than answers, but we have seen others step up to the plate when the going became tough. Jonas Adjetey and Jerome Opoku shared the pitch for the first time in a friendly against Wales in Cardiff. The duo formed a strong bond in that game; their chemistry was as though they had played many games between themselves but no that was the first time. They translated that to the Panama game. They fought hard for a clean sheet, combined duels of 4/4, aerial duels 4/5, 3/4tackles and passes completion of 47/52 (Jonas) and 41/45 (Jerome). This is certainly a match made in heaven for ages. I was impressed; hope you were too?

READ MORE : Match Review : Ghana beat Panama in Toronto

The World Cup has always been the stage where players get global recognition. I have seen players showcase their talents, others make big money moves, lives changed, and memories lasting forever. When South Africa hosted the World Cup in 2010, one player whose stock rose and has even after retirement is Siphiwe Tshabalala. He scored the opening goal, not an ordinary goal; it was a stunning left-footed strike from outside the box flying past Oscar Perez, and choreographed it with a celebration with his teammates, which became iconic. Twenty-two-year-old James Rodriguez joined Real Madrid from Monaco in July 2014, right after the World Cup, on a six-year deal. In that tournament, he emerged as the golden boot winner, and his iconic volley against South American opponents Uruguay made him a global sensation and earned him a big-money move. Caleb Yirenkyi made his World Cup debut for the Black Stars against Panama in midfield, not right back, as often misprofiled by former coach Otto Addo. That lad gave us what we had missed,  reminiscent of Michael Essien, giving us lots to cheer about. He enjoyed combing the pitch relentlessly; he was a breath of fresh air, tackles and interceptions when needed, and forward passes at some point. Despite a yellow card in the 16th minute, it did not deter him through out the game. It was least surprising when he started the transition that led to the goal in regulation time. A sequence from a confluence of “Rasta boys”.

It was a script made for Hollywood, which oozed class, sparking pandemonium in the stadium and in Ghana.

After the goal went in, a  friend whispered something into my ear. He said, do you know if Jordan Ayew was Yirenkyi, he wouldn’t pass to Semenyo. If Jordan were Semenyo, he wouldn’t pass to Brandon Asante. If Jordan were Brandon Asante, he wouldn’t pass to Yirenkyi, which means there would be no goal. I laughed heartily, and you know why.

I know Jordan Ayew is your friend; tell him to release the ball quicker, as it would help the team in its transition.

READ MORE : 2026 FIFA World Cup : Antoine Semenyo named Man-of-the-Match against Panama

The three Lions of England took Croatia to the cleaners, dispatching them in a six-goal thriller. The last time the Black Stars of Ghana engaged the one-time World Cup winner was on March 29, 2011, with the equalizer scored by Asamoah Gyan, who is currently providing massive motivation to the current crop of Black Stars players.

The game is set for Tuesday, June 23, 2026, at the Boston Stadium.