By Francis Onyach - Reporter
U.S June 18, 2026 - Ghana secured a dramatic and hard-fought 1-0 victory over Panama in their opening Group L match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with midfielder Caleb Yirenkyi emerging as the hero after scoring a stoppage-time winner in Toronto.
In a contest that appeared destined to end goalless, Yirenkyi struck in the 95th minute to hand the Black Stars a priceless three points and put them in a strong early position in the race for a place in the knockout stages. The result leaves Ghana level on points with England, who defeated Croatia 4-2 earlier in the day.
The match was played in difficult weather conditions, with heavy rain affecting the quality of play throughout much of the evening. Panama started the brighter of the two sides and enjoyed the majority of possession during the opening stages. The Central Americans created the first meaningful opportunities, forcing Ghana goalkeeper Lawrence Ati-Zigi into a series of important saves to keep the scores level.
Ghana struggled to establish rhythm in the first half and found it difficult to break down Panama's disciplined defensive structure. Jordan Ayew, captaining the side, worked tirelessly up front, while Antoine Semenyo and Ernest Nuamah looked to provide attacking spark from wide areas. However, clear-cut chances were few and far between.
The Black Stars suffered a setback at halftime when goalkeeper Ati-Zigi was forced off through injury. Benjamin Asare was introduced and would later play a crucial role in preserving Ghana's clean sheet. Panama continued to threaten after the break, with Cristian Martínez and Cecilio Waterman causing problems for the Ghanaian defence, but neither side could find the breakthrough.
As the match entered its closing stages, Ghana gradually began to take control. Jordan Ayew came close to scoring, while Brandon Thomas-Asante added fresh energy after coming off the bench. Despite Ghana's improvement, a goalless draw looked increasingly likely as the clock ticked into stoppage time.
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Then came the decisive moment.
Five minutes into added time, Thomas-Asante broke forward and delivered a dangerous ball into the penalty area. Yirenkyi timed his run perfectly and finished calmly to send the Ghana supporters into wild celebrations. The goal, scored in the 95th minute, proved to be the winning strike and one of the most dramatic moments of the tournament so far.
Panama nearly snatched an equalizer in the dying seconds, but substitute goalkeeper Benjamin Asare produced an excellent save to deny Ismael Díaz and preserve Ghana's advantage.
The victory is particularly significant for Ghana, who were without Thomas Partey after he was unable to travel to Canada. Despite his absence, Carlos Queiroz's side showed resilience, patience, and determination to secure all three points.
With England next on the schedule, Ghana will take immense confidence from this result. While the performance was not always fluent, the Black Stars demonstrated the fighting spirit that has defined many of their memorable World Cup campaigns. For Panama, the defeat was heartbreaking after an impressive defensive display, leaving them with little margin for error in their remaining group matches.