It feels very good for us – Gideon Mensah on Black Stars’ World Cup win over Panama
Black Stars defender Gideon Mensah has praised Ghana’s determination and composure after the team secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Panama in their opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The four-time African champions made a winning start to their Group L campaign on Wednesday night at BMO Field, with a late goal from Caleb Yirenkyi sealing all three points in a closely contested encounter.
Mensah described the victory as a significant boost for both the players and Ghanaian supporters, insisting that starting the tournament with a win was the perfect foundation for the team’s World Cup ambitions.
“It feels very good for us,” the AJ Auxerre left-back said after the match.
“Coming to the World Cup and winning the first game to get three points feels good for us as players. I think the people back home and the Ghanaian fans here in the stadium are also happy that we got the first three points.”
The defender admitted communication was difficult during the opening stages because of the intense atmosphere inside the stadium but said Ghana adapted well after the break and remained patient despite the game appearing destined for a draw.
“When the game started, it was a bit too loud for us to communicate on the field,” Mensah explained.
“But in the second half, we made sure we stayed in the game because we knew something was going to happen.”
His confidence proved justified as Yirenkyi struck late to hand Carlos Quieroz’s side a deserved victory and an early advantage in the race for qualification to the knockout stage.
Mensah believes tightly contested matches at the World Cup are often decided by fine margins and credited his teammates for maintaining their focus until the final whistle.
“As the game went on, it looked like it was going to end 0-0. Of course, we kept believing,” he said.
“Games like this, you never know. It’s either you’re losing 1-0 or you’re winning 1-0. Fortunately, we were on the better side and managed to get the goal.”
The victory leaves Ghana in a promising position in Group L with two crucial fixtures still to play. The Black Stars will face England on 23 June before taking on Croatia on 27 June as they bid to secure a place in the last 16.
Carlos Quieroz’s men are hoping to build on their impressive start and reach the knockout stages of the World Cup for the first time since their memorable quarter-final run in South Africa in 2010.
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