Ghana captain Jordan Ayew has praised the Black Stars’ resilience and calmness after they opened their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign with a dramatic stoppage-time victory over Panama.
Ayew revealed that patience was central to Ghana’s approach, insisting the team never lost belief even when Panama appeared to hold 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.”
World Cup 2026. Yirenkyi’s late strike hands Ghana dramatic victory over Panama
“At the end of the day, we won the game. That’s the most important thing.”
The four-time African champions appeared destined for a frustrating draw at Toronto Stadium before Caleb Yirenkyi struck in the dying moments to hand Ghana a hard-earned 1-0 win in their Group L opener.
Yirenkyi’s decisive goal arrived in the 95th minute following a swift counterattack. Brandon Thomas-Asante drove forward with a purpose before delivering a dangerous low ball across the face of goal, allowing the midfielder to apply the finishing touch and spark jubilant celebrations among the Ghanaian contingent.
It was a contest that demanded discipline and determination from Carlos Queiroz’s side. Panama controlled significant spells of the match and looked the more threatening team for long periods, forcing Ghana onto the back foot as they searched for an opening.
The Central Americans fashioned several promising opportunities before the interval, but goalkeeper Lawrence Ati Zigi stood firm with a series of important interventions. The shot-stopper’s evening was cut short when he suffered an injury following a collision and was unable to continue after halftime.
World Cup 2026. Queiroz demands sacrifice from Ghana ahead of England test
Despite spending much of the game absorbing pressure, Ghana gradually grew into the encounter after the break. As Panama’s intensity began to fade, the Black Stars found more space in attacking areas and increased their threat going forward.
The victory gives Ghana an ideal start in Group L and provides valuable momentum ahead of a mouth-watering showdown against England in Boston, where the Black Stars will seek to build on their winning start and strengthen their hopes of reaching the knockout stages.
