TORONTO, Canada — Teenage midfielder Caleb Yirenkyi scored a dramatic winner deep into stoppage time to hand Ghana a vital 1-0 victory over Panama in their opening Group L fixture of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The highly competitive encounter, played under heavy rainfall on Wednesday night at BMO Field, concluded with a passionate touchline celebration as the West Africans secured maximum points.
Okay News sports reports that the decisive moment came in the 95th minute of play when the Black Stars launched a lightning counter-attack from their own half. Forward Brandon Thomas-Asante drove aggressively down the left wing before firing an explicit, low cross into the six-yard box, allowing 18-year-old Caleb Yirenkyi to tap the ball into an empty net and become Ghana’s second-youngest scorer in tournament history.
The victory provides a massive qualification advantage for Otto Addo’s squad in a difficult group that also features powerhouses England and Croatia. Despite playing without star midfielder Thomas Partey—who was denied entry into Canada due to administrative visa restrictions—the Black Stars overcame a lackluster first half where they failed to record a single shot. Panama threatened early through a powerful volley from Cecilio Waterman, but Ghana goalkeeper Lawrence Ati Zigi pulled off a spectacular reflex save to preserve the clean sheet before being substituted at the interval due to a physical collision. Ghana now sits second in Group L, level on points with England ahead of their high-stakes clash in Foxborough on Tuesday.
