We are proud of our performance – Jerome Opoku after Black Stars draw with Wales
Ghana defender Jerome Opoku believes the Black Stars are heading in the right direction despite being denied victory in a dramatic 1-1 draw against Wales in Cardiff.
The Black Stars looked set to hand new head coach Carlos Queiroz a winning debut after Caleb Yirenkyi’s second-half strike put Ghana ahead at Cardiff City Stadium on Tuesday night.
However, Lewis Koumas struck deep into stoppage time to rescue a draw for Wales, leaving Ghana frustrated after an otherwise impressive performance.
Despite the late disappointment, Opoku insisted there was plenty for the Black Stars to be proud of, particularly given the limited time the squad has spent working under Queiroz.
“I thought it was a performance for us to be proud of,” Opoku said after the match.
“As the head coach said, we felt we should have won the game. It’s just the little details now, and something to build on given the short time we’ve worked together.”
The defender pointed to the team’s growing understanding of the new coach’s philosophy as a major positive, saying the display showed the potential within the squad ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
According to Opoku, the encouraging performance was even more significant considering the number of new faces integrated into the team during the international window.
“The key word is time, as the coach said,” he explained.
“Considering the amount of time we’ve had together, with new additions coming in, I was pleased we could put that performance out there. It shows that with more time, we can only get better as a team.”
Ghana overcame early pressure from the hosts before taking control for long spells, producing a disciplined and energetic second-half display. While the late equaliser denied them a deserved victory, Opoku believes the match offered further proof that the Black Stars are building momentum at the right time.
With the World Cup fast approaching, the defender remains optimistic about Ghana’s prospects and is confident the team will continue to improve as Queiroz’s ideas take hold.
The Black Stars will now turn their attention to Group L of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where they will face Panama, England and Croatia. For Opoku, the performance in Cardiff has provided another reason for belief that Ghana can arrive at the tournament as a stronger and more cohesive side.
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