By Amaechi Agbo

A 95th-minute strike from defender Caleb Yirenkyi propelled Ghana to a thrilling 1-0 victory over Panama in their opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The dramatic Group L clash, held at the Toronto Stadium (BMO Field) on Wednesday night, was deadlocked in a tactical gridlock until a late substitution turned the tide for the Black Stars.

For most of the match, both teams struggled to establish offensive fluency, combining for an expected goals However, the match exploded into life in the 94th minute. Substitute Brandon Thomas-Asante made a brilliant, driving run down the left wing and drilled a sharp cross into the six-yard box.

Full-back Caleb Yirenkyi timing his run perfectly, turned the ball past Panamanian goalkeeper Orlando Mosquera to break the deadlock. The goal sparked ecstatic celebrations, forcing Yirenkyi to replace his shirt after it was torn in the melee.

Panama threw everyone forward in the remaining minutes—including Mosquera for a late free kick—but the Ghanaian defense stood resilient amid tempers flaring in the box.

Both sides played a cagey opening 45 minutes, with Yirenkyi picking up a yellow card in the 16th minute. Ghana coach introduced Thomas-Asante and Abdul Fatawu in the 57th minute to inject much-needed pace.

Lawrence Ati Zigi started in goal for Ghana but was replaced at halftime by Benjamin Asare, who made three critical saves to keep a clean sheet. Thomas-Asante nearly scored ahead of the winner, but his 90th-minute shot was saved by Mosquera just before the offside flag went up.

With this victory, Ghana joins England at the top of Group L with three points, following Thomas Tuchel’s side’s 4-2 win over Croatia earlier in the day.

The result is a massive boost for the Black Stars, who entered the tournament ranked 73rd in the world and played without key midfielder Thomas Partey due to travel visa issues.

Panama, despite controlling 63% of possession and forcing several interventions from Asare, leaves Toronto empty-handed and faces an uphill battle to secure a qualification spot.

Ghana will take on England in their second group match on Tuesday, June 23 by 11pm before they take on Croatia on Saturday, June 27 by 10pm in their final group campaign