“The Black Stars must be ready to suffer,” Carlos Queiroz before Ghana – England.

Despite the valuable victory over Panama (1-0), Carlos Queiroz refuses to be overly optimistic. The Ghana coach has immediately shifted his focus to the next challenge for the Black Stars: a clash against England that promises to be decisive in the race for qualification to the round of 16 at the 2026 World Cup. On Wednesday in Toronto, the Ghanaians had to wait until the last moments of the match to make the difference. Just when the match seemed headed for a goalless draw, Caleb Yirenkyi burst onto the scene in stoppage time to secure the win for his team.

The decisive action stemmed from a burst of speed by Brandon Thomas-Asante. Entering the field in the second half, the forward launched a lightning-fast counterattack before perfectly setting up Yirenkyi, whose finish sent the Ghanaian supporters into a frenzy. At the end of the match, Queiroz praised his team’s spirit while reminding them that the hardest part was yet to come. “To win at this level, you have to accept suffering. There is no other way. The players must be ready to make sacrifices and pay the price for success in a World Cup,” the coach explained.

“Every victory is earned. It requires significant effort, but I know my players are ready to rise to this challenge.” Thanks to this inaugural success, Ghana sits at the top of Group L and approaches its confrontation against England, who triumphed over Croatia (4-2), with confidence. A positive result against the Three Lions would significantly bring the Black Stars closer to qualifying for the knockout stage.