Late Goal Secures Ghana's Win
Ghana Edges Panama 1-0 with Stoppage-Time Goal, Set to Face England in World Cup
Key Points
Ghana coach Otto Addo (Jose) Carlos Queiroz’s World Cup tenure is historic: he has coached “at a joint-record five successive World Cups,” leading Portugal (2010), Iran (2014), Russia (2018) and Qatar (2022) before Ghana—making him only the second coach to reach that mark after Bora Milutinovic.
Despite the overall low-chance first half, Panama created key early openings: in the 2nd minute Cecilio Waterman drilled a 15-yard volley that Lawrence Ati Zigi acrobatically denied, and in the 38th minute Ati Zigi made another punch-clear before Jiovany Ramos fired wide.
Ghana’s first-half attacking output was even thinner than the summary suggests: Al Jazeera reports Ghana attempted “no shots in the first half,” the first team in the tournament to do so.
Lawrence Ati Zigi’s halftime exit came after multiple collisions: Marca notes the goalkeeper left the game at halftime “after bearing the brunt of a couple of hard collisions,” before Benjamin Asare replaced him.
The stoppage-time winner triggered additional chaos beyond the goal itself: Al Jazeera says the strike was “followed by a melee before the referee blew the full-time whistle,” underscoring the match’s heated end.
Ghana beat Panama 1-0 in their 2026 FIFA World Cup Group L opener in Toronto on Wednesday, with 20-year-old Caleb Yirenkyi scoring a stoppage-time tap-in in the 95th minute to hand the Black Stars three crucial points. Al Jazeera reported that Ghana did not register a single shot in the first half — the first team in the tournament to do so — making Yirenkyi's late winner one of the most dramatic results of the early group stage.
The result puts Ghana level with England at the top of Group L on three points each, with England leading on goal difference after their 4-2 win over Croatia. Ghana will next face England, while a shattered Panama must beat Croatia to stay alive in the tournament.
Yirenkyi Taps In to Break Panamanian Hearts Late
For most of the match, a draw looked certain. Ghana sat deep, allowing Panama 58% possession and 11 total shots across 90 minutes, according to Headtopics. Then, in stoppage time, Brandon Thomas-Asante burst down the wing and crossed low into the box. Yirenkyi was there to tap it in. Simple. Decisive.
The goal sparked immediate chaos. Al Jazeera reported that the strike was "followed by a melee before the referee blew the full-time whistle." Panama had created the match's best early chances — Cecilio Waterman drilled a 15-yard volley in just the 2nd minute that Ghana goalkeeper Lawrence Ati Zigi acrobatically denied — but it was Ghana who walked away with all three points, according to Marca.
Ati Zigi's Injury Forced Ghana Into Crisis at Halftime
Ghana's clean sheet nearly came undone before the second half even began. Marca reported that goalkeeper Lawrence Ati Zigi left the game at halftime "after bearing the brunt of a couple of hard collisions." He had kept Ghana in it with two key saves, but backup Benjamin Asare had to take over from minute 46 onward.
Asare held firm despite intense Panamanian pressure late in the second half. But his fitness and form is now a major concern heading into Ghana's next match. Facing a high-scoring England side with a backup keeper would be a daunting task for any coach.
Partey Barred From Canada, Ghana's Midfield Left Threadbare
Ghana's passive first half was not entirely by choice. Star midfielder Thomas Partey was denied entry into Canada at Toronto Pearson International Airport due to ongoing rape charges in England. Canadian immigration law can bar individuals facing serious criminal proceedings from entering the country. The GFA's diplomatic efforts failed, and Partey was sent back to London.
Without Partey, Ghana had no one to control the midfield. Newsy Today noted that forward Antoine Semenyo needed "more help overall" in the attacking third. Ghana's zero first-half shots reflected that void. The match was won not through sustained quality, but through a single moment of pace and clinical finishing deep in injury time.
Queiroz Makes History With Fifth Straight World Cup
Ghana coach Carlos Queiroz quietly made history on Wednesday. By leading Ghana out at BMO Field, he became only the second coach ever to manage at five successive World Cups. He previously led Portugal in 2010, Iran in 2014, Russia in 2018, and Qatar in 2022. The only other coach to match that feat is Bora Milutinovic, according to Perth Now.
For Yirenkyi, the moment was equally historic on a personal level. The 20-year-old came through the Right to Dream academy before joining FC Nordsjælland in 2024. He won the Danish Superliga Young Player of the Year award for 2025–26 and earned his first Ghana call-up in 2025. He now has two international goals in 12 caps — one of them the most important goal of Ghana's World Cup campaign so far, according to The Crag and Canyon.
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