The Gambia defeat doesn’t make me a loser

Black Stars head coach Carlos Queiroz has dismissed calls for his resignation following Ghana’s 4-2 defeat to The Gambia, insisting the setback should be used as a learning opportunity for the team and his technical staff.

Ghana surrendered a two-goal advantage to lose the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier at the Accra Sports Stadium on Tuesday, September 29, 2026.

Although he admitted the result was disappointing, Queiroz said stepping down would not address the broader challenges facing Ghanaian football.

“When we have one result like this, and the option is to resign, it is the easiest solution,” he said.

He added that he would be willing to resign if his departure would genuinely help improve the situation, but said he did not believe it would.

The Portuguese coach explained that decisions regarding his position ultimately rest with the Ghana Football Association, with his future also dependent on the team’s results.

Queiroz further rejected the notion that the defeat had defined his career, saying the loss had instead made him more attentive to the lessons the team could draw from the match.

He stressed that setbacks should be treated as opportunities to identify weaknesses and improve, rather than reasons to dwell on failure.

“You win, or you learn,” Queiroz said.

The Black Stars appeared firmly in control after Ernest Nuamah and Felix Afena-Gyan put Ghana 2-0 ahead in the first half. However, The Gambia staged a remarkable comeback to claim a 4-2 victory.

Queiroz said Ghana had dominated the opening half before mistakes allowed the momentum to shift.

He noted that the team had controlled proceedings and created the belief that more goals could follow before conceding opportunities that changed the course of the match.

With more qualifiers still to come, Queiroz said the priority is now to address the team’s weaknesses and prepare more effectively for the upcoming matches.

He insisted that Ghana must respond to the setback by becoming better organised and prepared as the team seeks to secure victories in its remaining fixtures.