Ghana beat Panama 1-0 in their opening match of World Cup Group L in Toronto, with Caleb Yirenkyi scoring a stoppage-time winner. Multiple reports describe a tense, rain-affected game with few clear chances, in which Panama briefly looked more likely in the early stages. The match remained goalless through most of the first half, with Ghana struggling to create shots on target and Panama generating the main opportunities.
After the interval, the game opened slightly under steady rain at Toronto Stadium. Cristian Martinez came close for Panama with a shot that went to the side-netting, but Ghana’s defence held. Ghana looked to be heading for a draw until late in the second half when Yirenkyi bundled in the decisive goal in the 95th minute, following a cross from Brandon Thomas-Asante. The late strike denied Panama a first-ever World Cup point.
Several outlets also note pre-match and team context: Ghana played without midfielder Thomas Partey, and Ghana’s coach Carlos Queiroz is in his fifth consecutive World Cup as a manager. The result puts Ghana level on points with England at the top of Group L, as reported by some outlets.
