Ghana's Ernest Nuamah (top) and Panama's Cesar Blackman battle for the ball during the 2026 FIFA World Cup Group L soccer match between Ghana and Panama at Toronto Stadium. Nathan Denette/Canadian Press via ZUMA Press/dpa
Ghana scored a last-gasp goal to claim a dramatic 1-0 win in their World Cup opener against Panama on Wednesday.
The game was set to end in a goalless draw but Caleb Yirenki scored in the fifth minute of stoppage time to give Ghana all the three points.
In a fast counterattack Brandon Thomas-Asante avoided a challenge from José Córdoba before sending a cross to the area, where Yirenki collected the ball to fire it into the empty goal.
"First we had to suffer, we battled like warriors. We won the game with the brains," Ghana coach Carlos Queiroz told broadcasters ITV.
"We knew that they would control the game but step-by-step this was our strategy, to let them come and start to take the control until we scored because this is the way to win."
Cecilio Waterman forced Ghana goalkeeper Lawrence Ati Zigi into a excellent save in the opening minutes of the game but the rest of it didn't follow the same pattern and goal chances were scarce
Panama fans euphorically celebrated in the 60th minute, when they thought Cristian Martinez had finally broken the deadlock, but he only hit the side netting.
Five minutes later, Ghana substitute Thomas-Asante put a near-perfect cross aiming for captain Jordan Ayew but the Panama defence made a clinical clearance.
England top Group L after a 4-2 victory over Croatia earlier, tied with Ghana on three points but ahead on goal difference.
Ghana now face the English team on June 23, while Panama take on Croatia.
Panama's Carlos Harvey (L) and Ghana's Kamaldeen Sulemana (R) battle for the ball during the 2026 FIFA World Cup Group L soccer match between Ghana and Panama at Toronto Stadium. Nathan Denette/Canadian Press via ZUMA Press/dpaGhana's Elisha Owusu (L) and Panama's Cecilio Waterman (R) battle for the ball during the 2026 FIFA World Cup Group L soccer match between Ghana and Panama at Toronto Stadium. Chris Young//dpaGhana's Caleb Yirenkyi (L) and Panama's Yoel Barcenas (R) battle for the ball during the 2026 FIFA World Cup Group L soccer match between Ghana and Panama at Toronto Stadium. Nathan Denette/Canadian Press via ZUMA Press/dpaPanama's Cecilio Waterman (L) and Ghana's Caleb Yirenkyi (R) battle for the ball during the 2026 FIFA World Cup Group L soccer match between Ghana and Panama at Toronto Stadium. Chris Young/Canadian Press via ZUMA Press/dpaGhana's Ernest Nuamah (L) and Panama's Jose Cordoba (R) battle for the ball during the 2026 FIFA World Cup Group L soccer match between Ghana and Panama at Toronto Stadium. Nathan Denette/Canadian Press via ZUMA Press/dpaPanama's Jose Luis Rodriguez (L) looks for the ball in front of Ghana's Jonas Adjetey (R) during the 2026 FIFA World Cup Group L soccer match between Ghana and Panama at Toronto Stadium. Chris Young/Canadian Press via ZUMA Press/dpa
