The Panamanian national team was left heartbroken after suffering a narrow 1-0 defeat to Ghana in their opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with midfielder Edgar Yoel Barcenas insisting his side deserved more from the contest.
Speaking after the match, the experienced winger expressed his disappointment at the result, arguing that Panama produced a performance worthy of victory but failed to capitalize on their opportunities.
Panama dominated large spells of the encounter, particularly in the first half, creating several chances and forcing Ghana goalkeeper Lawrence Ati-Zigi into a number of important saves.
However, despite their attacking intent, the Central Americans were unable to find the breakthrough and were ultimately punished as Ghana secured all three points.
Reflecting on the defeat, Barcenas admitted that football can sometimes be cruel.
“We all know how this sport works. Sometimes we've played very badly and won, and other times we've played very well and look how football repays us. It hurts. We're very sad because we feel we did everything to win, but in the end, you have to give a little more, and we just couldn't do it,” he said.
The defeat leaves Panama with no margin for error as they prepare for a crucial second group-stage encounter against Croatia.
Barcenas stressed the importance of quickly moving on from the setback and maintaining belief within the squad.
“Now comes Croatia. We have to see what they did against England. We can't give up, we have to turn the page and move on,” he added.
The midfielder also revealed that Panama had entered the closing stages of the match determined to push for victory rather than settle for a draw.
According to him, the team felt they had the momentum and the quality to deliver the decisive blow.
“I wanted to go on the attack because we had the chance. We could have delivered the final blow, but in the end we couldn't even manage a draw. We lost the three points and it hurts,” Barcenas stated.
Despite the disappointment, Panama can take encouragement from their overall display against Ghana.
Thomas Christiansen's side matched the four-time African champions for much of the game and showed the attacking ambition that could prove crucial in their remaining fixtures.
With challenging matches still ahead, Panama will now look to regroup and revive their World Cup campaign when they face Croatia, knowing that another defeat could severely damage their hopes of reaching the knockout stages.
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