Ghana national team assistant coach Roger de Sa was elated after the Black Stars recorded a much-needed, smash-and-grab 1-0 win over Panama in their opening match on Wednesday. The South African is a former Bafana Bafana goalkeeper and Orlando Pirates coach.
Ghana won the encounter via a sucker-punch goal in the referee’s optional time, and Caleb Yirenkyi’s 95th-minute goal really broke the hearts of the Panama players and supporters at the Toronto Stadium. The Black Stars’ win over the South Americans means that the west-Africans are off to a great start, and they will now face one of the favourites, England, with their tails up next week. They are also in the right groove to qualify for the knockout stage of this World Cup.
De Sa was roped into the Black Stars outfit by head coach and his long-time partner in crime and former Bafana Carlos Queiroz, who was given the job in June. This is after Ghana parted ways with previous coach Otto Addo earlier in that month.
“It was a must win game for us,” De Sa told Sunday World. “It was also a slow start, but we got better. The three points in the first game were very vital. Now we are in it, and every game is like a final. Now, we must just recover and plan for England the best we can. With me here, it’s BaGhana BaGhana once again,” added De Sa.
Ghana will face England in their next match before they wrap up the group stage against Croatia. England walloped Croatia 4-2 in their opening match, and they will give the Black Stars a stern test when they cross swords.
De Sa’s first stint of coaching at the international level was with Bafana, where he served as assistant coach to the late Styles Phumo in 2004.
He then worked as Queiroz’s assistant when they coached the star-studded Portugal national team that included superstar Cristiano Ronaldo at the 2010 Fifa World Cup in South Africa.
Five years ago, Queiroz once again recruited De Sa to lead the Pharaohs of Egypt. The two coaches led Egypt to the final of the 2021 Afcon, where they lost to Senegal via penalty kicks.
Their next move was in Iran, where they took the country to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. After an impressive showing with Iran, they crossed the Persian Gulf to take over the Qatar national team.
The duo again reunited in Oman in 2025 with the objective of building the Omani team for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
At club level, besides coaching Orlando Pirates, he was also in charge of Bidvest Wits, Ajax Cape Town, Santos and Platinum Stars. He led the Buccaneers to the final of the 2013 CAF Champions League, where they lost to Egypt’s Al Ahly.
Los Canaleros, as Panama is affectionately known, enjoyed the first chance of note in the first half, as Amir Murillo’s low cross found Cecilio Waterman in the area, but Ghana goalkeeper Lawrence Ati Zigi repelled his first-time effort with a fine diving save. Panama created the next opening when a poor Ati Zigi punch fell to the feet of Jiovany Ramos, and while the defender had time, he blazed his effort over.
Yesterday, and back to the match, the Ghana goal continued to live a charmed life in the second half, with Cristian Martinez next to come close. He collected a loose ball in the area and deployed a clever shimmy to buy a yard, only to flash his shot into the side netting.
Queiroz, who has now coached at a joint-record five successive World Cups, made a double change just before the hour mark, which very nearly paid instant dividends. Substitute Brandon Thomas-Asante darted down the right and slid the ball across goal for Jordan Ayew, but Ramos got back to produce a goal-saving challenge.
Both sides looked happy to settle for a draw until Thomas-Asante was set free down the left and drove into the 18-area, before squaring for Yirenkyi to tap home his first international goal, winning the game for the Black Stars and denying Panama a first World Cup point in the process.
- Ghana national team assistant coach Roger de Sa was elated after the Black Stars recorded a much-needed, smash-and-grab 1-0 win over Panama in their opening match on Wednesday.
- The South African is a former Bafana Bafana goalkeeper and Orlando Pirates coach.
- Ghana won the encounter via a sucker-punch goal in the referee’s optional time, and Caleb Yirenkyi’s 95th-minute goal really broke the hearts of the Panama players and supporters at the Toronto Stadium.
- The Black Stars’ win over the South Americans means that the west-Africans are off to a great start, and they will now face one of the favourites, England, with their tails up next week.
- They are also in the right groove to qualify for the knockout stage of this World Cup.
Ghana national team assistant coach Roger de Sa was elated after the Black Stars recorded a much-needed, smash-and-grab 1-0 win over Panama in their opening match on Wednesday.
Ghana won the encounter via a sucker-punch goal in the referee's optional time, and Caleb
De Sa was roped into the Black Stars outfit by head coach and his long-time partner in crime and former Bafana Carlos Queiroz, who was given the job in June.
“It was a must win game for us,” De Sa told
Ghana will face
De Sa’s first stint of coaching at the international level was with Bafana, where he served as assistant coach to the late Styles Phumo in 2004.
He then worked as Queiroz’s assistant when they coached the star-studded Portugal national team that included superstar Cristiano Ronaldo at the 2010 Fifa World Cup in
Five years ago, Queiroz once again recruited De Sa to lead the Pharaohs of Egypt.
At club level, besides coaching
Los Canaleros, as Panama is affectionately known, enjoyed the first chance of note in the first half, as Amir Murillo's low cross found Cecilio Waterman in the area, but Ghana goalkeeper Lawrence Ati Zigi repelled his first-time effort with a fine diving save. Panama created the next opening when a poor Ati Zigi punch fell to the feet of
Yesterday, and back to the match, the Ghana goal continued to live a charmed life in the second half, with Cristian Martinez next to come close. He collected a loose ball in the area and deployed a clever shimmy to buy a yard, only to flash his shot into the side netting.
Queiroz, who has now coached at a joint-record five successive World Cups, made a double change just before the hour mark, which very nearly paid instant dividends. Substitute
