Ghana skipper Jordan Ayew praised his side’s resilience after the Black Stars snatched a stoppage-time winner against Panama to begin their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign on a winning note.
With the match seemingly headed for a draw, Caleb Yirenkyi struck in the dying moments to hand Ghana a 1-0 victory in their Group L opener. The decisive move came when Brandon Thomas-Asante burst forward and drilled a low ball across the face of goal, allowing Yirenkyi to finish from close range deep into added time.
The late breakthrough capped a determined display from Carlos Queiroz’s men, who spent much of the contest absorbing pressure from a lively Panama side cheered on by a vocal travelling contingent.
Panama looked the more threatening team during the opening half and repeatedly tested Ghana’s backline. Goalkeeper Lawrence Ati Zigi was called into action several times and produced a series of important saves before leaving the game at halftime after a collision.
The Black Stars returned from the break with greater attacking intent and gradually grew into the contest. As Panama’s intensity faded, Ghana began to find more space and eventually made their pressure count in the 95th minute.
Reflecting on the victory, Ayew said the team remained calm despite difficult periods when Panama appeared to have the upper hand.
“When our chances came, we took them. Obviously, we needed to be patient. We knew they would get tired.
“Obviously, football is like that. Sometimes you have difficult spells, but you just need to stay in the game. That’s what we did.
“At the end of the day, we won the game. That’s the most important thing.”
The result puts Ghana in a favourable position early in Group L as attention now turns to a highly anticipated showdown with England in Boston.
