‘Opening Matches Make or Unmake Teams’ — Berekum West MP Kyere-Duah Rallies Support for Black Stars, Warns Against Complacency vs Panama

Berekum West MP Hon. Dickson Kyere-Duah has called on Ghanaians to unite behind the Black Stars as they open their World Cup campaign against Panama Wednesday night, warning that first matches often decide a team’s fate at the tournament.

Speaking on the floor of Parliament, Kyere-Duah stressed football’s unifying power.

“Football unites the nation beyond politics, beyond ethnicity, and beyond social status. That is why at this very important moment we all need to rally behind the Black Stars,” he said.

He reminded the House that the team carries national hopes onto the global stage.

“Mr Speaker anytime the Black Stars takes to the field they carry not only the hopes of millions of Ghanaians but they carry the aspirations of the entire nation that is determined to excel at the global stage.”

Kyere-Duah reflected on Ghana’s opening-game history to underline Wednesday’s stakes.

“Mister Speaker as we prepare for our opening game against Panama on Wednesday night may I take this opportunity to reflect on the enormous importance of opening matches at the World Cup level.”

He recalled Ghana’s 2006 debut: “even though we lost our first game against Italy two nil the players displayed a lot of courage and determination and that strong performance laid the foundation for our subsequent victories against Czech Republic and the United States.”

“In twenty ten Ghana made a dream start by beating Serbia one nil and that propelled Ghana to advance to the quarter finals,” he added, noting the team “would have made history as the first African country to have reached semi-finals but for the infamous hand of Suarez.”

He contrasted those with 2014 and 2022: “in twenty fourteen the regrettable event in Brazil started with a defeat to United States and Ghana could not bounce back... Similarly Mr Speaker in 2022 in Qatar having suffered another defeat in the hands of Portugal Ghana could not rise to the occasion again.”

“It is for these experiences that Mr Speaker I want to use this forum to caution the players, officials, and all Ghanaians to avoid complacency as we prepare against Panama on Wednesday because it has been established that the opening matches usually make or unmake teams at the World Cup so we need to win against Panama.”