Ghana scraped a 1-0 victory over Panama in Toronto thanks to a stoppage‑time goal from Caleb Yirenkyi, but the performance revived concerns about coach Carlos Queiroz’s conservative approach. Fans questioned his methods when he succeeded Otto Addo, and Queiroz initially dismissed those worries by saying players must sacrifice and work to regain possession while he would leave labels of “defensive” or “attacking” to others, according to the report.
The Black Stars laboured for long stretches, producing disjointed football, misplaced passes and late challenges as they struggled to look like favourites against a side viewed as the group’s weakest. For large swathes, particularly the first half, Ghana resembled a hastily assembled side without cohesion and created no shots on target before the break.
Captain Jordan Ayew equalled brother André’s record of 120 caps but appeared unable to hold the ball up and saw his lack of pace exploited by Panama’s intense high press. Antoine Semenyo was isolated out wide, and the report adds that a Manchester City star went a full 22 minutes in the first half without a touch. Goalscorer Yirenkyi picked up a yellow card in the 16th minute and was cautioned for much of the match, while Kamaldeen Sulemana and Ernest Nuamah were taken off early in the second half after repeated lapses in possession.
Queiroz reacted at the first-half hydration break, switching to a 4-4-2 to bolster the wide areas and adding midfield cover to handle Cristian Martínez. He introduced Abdul Fatawu Issahaku and Brandon Thomas‑Asante in the second half, changes that injected pace and urgency and altered the game’s momentum, according to the report.
The adjustments paid dividends: Ghana went from zero first-half shots to four in under 10 minutes of the second half, and defender Jerome Opoku Adjetey almost opened the scoring with a header that flashed narrowly wide from a corner. Ayew conceded the team started poorly but highlighted that they remained patient, did not concede and took their chances when they came.
