Ghana kicked off their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign on a winning note after securing a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Panama in their Group L opener, thanks to a dramatic stoppage-time goal from Caleb Yirenkyi.

With England having recorded a 4-2 win over Croatia earlier in the day, the Black Stars knew they needed all three points to keep pace at the top of the group. Although the victory came in dramatic fashion, Ghana showed resilience to claim a crucial opening win.

The Black Stars suffered a setback before halftime when Ati Zigi picked up an injury. Despite attempting to continue, he was replaced by Benjamin Asare at the start of the second half.

Ghana looked much sharper after the break, with Antoine Semenyo, Brandon Thomas-Asante, and substitute Issahaku Fatawu all playing key roles in increasing the team’s attacking threat. However, Panama remained dangerous on the counterattack and came close through Christian Martinez and Ismael Diaz.

Just as the match appeared headed for a goalless draw, Ghana found the breakthrough deep into stoppage time. Brandon Thomas-Asante threaded a clever pass into the box for Caleb Yirenkyi, who calmly shifted the ball away from his marker before smashing a powerful effort into the roof of the net.

Panama pushed forward in search of a late equaliser, but Benjamin Asare came to Ghana’s rescue with a crucial save to deny Diaz and preserve the victory.

The win sees Ghana move level on three points with England at the top of Group L, providing the perfect start to their quest for World Cup success.