Jerome Opoku: Black Stars Will Only Get Better with Time

Black Stars defender Jerome Opoku believes Ghana's encouraging display in the 1-1 draw against Wales is a sign of greater things to come as the team continues preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Ghana looked on course for victory at the Cardiff City Stadium after Caleb Yirenkyi scored his first senior international goal in the 66th minute. However, Lewis Koumas struck deep into stoppage time to earn Wales a share of the spoils.

Despite the late setback, Opoku was pleased with the team's overall performance and felt the Black Stars deserved more from the game.

"I thought it was a performance for us to be proud of," Opoku said after the match. "As the head coach mentioned, we felt we should have won the game. It's about focusing on the little details now and continuing to build on what we've achieved, especially considering the short time we've had together."

The centre-back highlighted the importance of patience as Ghana adapts to life under new head coach Carlos Queiroz. With several new faces joining the squad and limited time on the training ground, Opoku believes the signs are already promising.

"The key word is time, as the coach said,"

he added. "When you consider the limited time we've spent together and the number of new players coming into the team, I was pleased with the performance we produced. It shows that with more time, we can only improve and become stronger as a team."

The draw ended Ghana's run of five consecutive defeats and provided an encouraging glimpse of the direction the team is heading under Queiroz.

Attention now turns to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be hosted by the Canada, Mexico and the United States.

The Black Stars have been drawn in Group L alongside Panama, England and Croatia, with their opening match scheduled against Panama on June 17.

With renewed optimism, improved performances, and a growing sense of cohesion, Ghana will be hoping to carry this momentum into football's biggest stage.