Ghana head coach Carlos Queiroz has defended the Black Stars’ attacking performance after their 2-0 defeat to Côte d’Ivoire in their opening 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.
The Black Stars were beaten by goals from Malick Yalcouyé and Franck Kessié at the Stade de la Paix in Bouaké on Thursday, September 24, 2026, leaving them without a point from their opening Group C fixture.
Despite the result, Queiroz believes Ghana showed enough in the attacking third and created more opportunities than their hosts.
“In terms of possession, Ivory Coast was better than us. But in terms of attacking penetration and creating opportunities, we were better than Ivory Coast. But the result is for Ivory Coast, so congratulations,” the Portuguese coach said.
Ghana struggled to turn those opportunities into goals, while Côte d’Ivoire made better use of their decisive moments to secure all three points.
Queiroz, however, praised his players for their response and determination throughout the game, particularly after going behind.
“I’m very proud of my team, my players, the way they fight, the way they play, the way they fight against adversity,” he added.
The defeat means Ghana must quickly regroup ahead of their next Group C fixture against The Gambia in Accra on September 29.
With no points from their opening game, Queiroz and his players will be looking to turn their attacking efforts into goals when they return to action next week.
