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Ghana score 95th minute winner to stun Panama
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Reading Time: 4min | Thu. 18.06.26. | 04:05
All was looking likely for a barren draw, only for a 20-year-old youngster to come up with a clutch goal
Drama? What drama?
Ghana looked to all in the world like they were headed for a drab draw, but for youngster Caleb Yirenkyi, of all people, to sneak in at the backpost and strike a dagger straight into the hearts of the Panamanians, giving the Black Stars an improbable 1-0 win to kickstart their campaign at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
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Having failed to even register a shot on target in the first half, Carlos Queiroz waved a magic wand with a series of substitutions in the second half, and it was from the foot of one of his new key wide men that the winner came, as Coventry City’s Brandon Thomas-Asante whipped in a cross from the left in the 95th minute for Yirenyki to tap in the hammer blow.
It was the stuff of dreams, as the young 20-year-old, recently called up to the squad, marked an unforgettable debut in the World Cup with a first competitive team goal, having only scored before in a friendly against Wales in Cardiff.
Quieroz, the mastermind summoned to save the Black Stars from what looked like an impeding collapse pre-tournament, ran through the field at the final whistle, having engineered one of the biggest nights for Ghana, given the game trend, and the tribulations beforehand.
It had not been smooth for the team in yellow under the rains in Toronto Stadium, as after being robbed of a number of their key players leading up to their fifth World Cup appearance this century, were made due with soaking in pressure early, and looking largely blunt in an unforgettable first half.
Ghana had starting goalkeeper Lawrence Ati Zigi to thank inside the first 106 seconds, as he came up with a big reflex save to stop Cecilio Waterman from arrowing a lovely strike into the top corner.
Despite having the new all-time record appearance maker for Ghana in the name of Jordan Ayew, Queiroz's side were a no show offfensively for the first 45 minutes, registering zero shots on target, and enjoying lengthy spells without the ball.
On the opposite end, Ati Zigi was having one of his busier afternoons in goal, and was unlucky to pick some painful blows to his body, given his all-out performance to ward off any Panama inswingers.
Carrying a slight limp heading to the break, Ghana made their first change by introducing their only locally-based man in the squad - Benjamin Asare - to take his position under the posts, only to fortunately end up watching his side take control of the tie.
In the space of five second-half minutes, Ghana had made twice the number of attemps at goal as they had in the first half, with Jonas Adjetey and Yirenkyi all coming close to breaking the deadlock.
Only once did Panama look poised to score in that period, when Cristian Martínez hit the side-netting just before the hour-mark, as Ghana, who saw Thomas-Asante and Abdul Fatawu introduced from the bench, up the ante.
On this day howver, not all seemed to be clicking for Ghana, as once they got clear in the 66th minute, Panama defender Jiovany Ramos came up big, keeping his team's hopes of getting a first World Cup point alive.
Near the end, that seemed possible, until a lung-bursting run by Asante fed young Yirenkyi inside the box, to do what was nearly unconceivable.
Ghana off to a flyer, and up to second place in their group, only behind their next opponents England! Who would have thought?
WORLD CUP - GROUP STAGE
Monday, 15.06.
Ivory Coast - Ecuador 1-0 (0-0)
/Diallo 90/
Sweden - Tunisia 5-1 (2-1)
/Ayari 7, 90+6, Isak 30, Gyokeres , Svanberg 84 - Rekik 43/
Spain - Cabo Verde 0-0
Belgium - Egypt 1-1 (0-1)
/Hany 66 og - Ashour 20/
Tuesday 16.06.
Saudi Arabia- Uruguay 1-1 (1-0)
/Amri 41 - Araujo 80/
Iran - New Zealand 2-2 (1-1)
/Ramin 33,Mohebi, 64- Just, 7,54/
France - Senegal 3-1 (0-0)
/Mbappe 66, 90+6 Barcola 82 - Mbaye 90+5/
Wednesday
Iraq - Norway 1-3 (1-2)
/Hussein 39 - Haaland 29, 43 Ostigard 76/
Argentina - Algeria 3-0 (1-0)
/Messi 17, 60, 76/
Austria - Jordan 3-1 (1-0)
/Schmid 21, Al-Arab 76 og, Arnautovic 90+12 pen - Olwan 50/
Portugal - DR Congo 1-1 (1-1)
/Neves 6 - Wissa 45+5/
England - Croatia 4-2 (2-2)
/Kane 12 pen,42, Bellingham 47, Rashford 85 - Baturina 36, Musa 45+5/
Thursday
Ghana - Panama 1-0 (0-0)
/Yirenkyi 90+5/
05.00: (8.50) Uzbekistan (4.50) Colombia (1.42)
19.00: (1.80) Czech R. (3.50) S.Africa (4.70)
22.00: (1.65) Switzerland (3.60) B&H (5.80)
Friday
01.00: (1.32) Canada (5.10) Qatar (10.0)
04.00: (2.10) Mexico (3.30) S.Korea (3.70)
22.00: (1.65) USA (3.85) Australia (5.50)
Saturday
01.00: (4.70) Scotland (3.50) Morocco (1.80)
03.30: (1.12) Brazil (10.0) Haiti (16.0)
06.00: (2.10) Turkey (3.35) Paraguay (3.60)
20.00: (1.72) Netherlands (3.60) Sweden (5.30)
23.00: (1.58) Germany (4.00) Ivory Coast (5.90)
Sunday
03.00: (1.12) Ecuador (9.50) Curacao (19.0)
07.00: (6.50) Tunisia (3.60) Japan (1.60)
19.00: (1.10) Spain (10.5) Saudi Arabia (22.0)
***odds are subject to change***
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