Caleb Yirenkyi's late goal fires Ghana past Panama in World Cup opener

Caleb Yirenkyi emerged as Ghana's hero with a dramatic stoppage-time goal as the Black Stars secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Panama in their opening Group L match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Toronto on Wednesday night.

The match looked destined to end in a draw until Yirenkyi struck in the 94th minute to hand Ghana a crucial three points and a dream start to their World Cup campaign.

Panama started brightly and almost took the lead within the opening minute, but goalkeeper Lawrence Ati-Zigi produced a brilliant save to keep the scores level. The Central Americans continued to dominate possession and dictate the tempo, while Ghana sat deep and looked to hit on the counterattack.

The Black Stars struggled to create clear-cut chances in the opening half, with their attacking moves often breaking down before troubling the Panama defence. Meanwhile, Panama remained the more dangerous side, forcing Ati-Zigi into a series of crucial saves, including three outstanding stops late in the first half.

Ghana were dealt a setback at the break when Ati-Zigi, who had picked up a knock, was replaced by Benjamin Asare.

The Black Stars showed greater attacking intent after the restart, with Jonas Adjetey forcing a save from the Panama goalkeeper with a powerful header. Jordan Ayew later missed a golden opportunity to break the deadlock, while Antoine Semenyo also saw a promising effort blocked.

As the match entered its closing stages, both sides pushed for a winner. Ghana eventually found the breakthrough deep into stoppage time when Brandon Thomas-Asante surged forward before squaring the ball to Caleb Yirenkyi, who calmly slotted home to send the Ghanaian fans into celebration.

The victory gives Ghana an important boost ahead of their remaining Group L fixtures and puts the Black Stars in a strong position to challenge for a place in the knockout stages.