Ghana defeats Panama 1-0 in World Cup qualifier with late goal

Ghana secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Panama in a thrilling Group ‘L’ match of the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers. The match, held at Toronto Stadium in Canada, saw no goals during the regular 90 minutes, ending in a goalless draw. The game extended into injury time, where Ghana’s player, Kelvin Yirenkyi, emerged as the hero for his team.

In the 90th plus 5th minute, Yirenkyi capitalized on a pass from Brandon Thomas-Asante to score the decisive goal. This excellent goal helped Ghana secure three crucial points from the match.

Earlier, before the start of extra time, Ghana missed a golden opportunity to score. Thomas-Asante, in a one-on-one situation with Panama’s goalkeeper Orlando Mosquera, saw his shot brilliantly saved. However, the referee had already signaled for offside following the attempt.

Throughout the match, Ghana displayed a more aggressive style of play compared to Panama. Although the first half ended in a goalless draw, Ghana maintained constant pressure on Panama in the second half and ultimately succeeded with a goal during injury time.

With this victory, Ghana has made a positive start in Group ‘L’, collecting important three points, while Panama was left stunned and disappointed after conceding a last-minute goal.