Jerome Opoku
Black Stars defender, Jerome Opoku, has urged supporters to remain patient with the national team following their 1-1 draw against Wales in an international friendly at Cardiff City Stadium.
Ghana delivered an encouraging performance and appeared on course for victory after Caleb Yirenkyi broke the deadlock in the second half. However, Wales salvaged a draw late on through Lewis Koumas, denying the Black Stars a winning start to their final round of preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Despite the late setback, Opoku believes there were plenty of positives to take from the match, particularly considering the limited time head coach Carlos Queiroz has had to work with the squad.
“I thought it was a performance for us to be proud of,” the defender said after the game. “As the head coach mentioned, we felt we should have won. It’s now about improving the small details and building on what we showed.”
Opoku also pointed to the challenges faced by the team in the lead-up to the fixture, revealing that several players arrived in camp late because of visa-related issues.
“The key word is time,” he said. “With the short period we’ve had together and new players joining the squad, I was pleased with the performance. It shows that with more time working together, we can become a much stronger team.”
Queiroz confirmed after the match that some members of the squad only arrived from London on the eve of the game after resolving documentation problems, leaving the team with just one full training session before taking on Wales.
By Wletsu Ransford