The last minute of the football game in the opening match made Ghana win over Panama in the World Cup 2026. This has been a dramatic win because the goal was scored at a die minute to wrap up the game.
Panama are 90 seconds away from the greatest result in their football history which is their first ever World Cup point. But Brandon Thomas-Asante gets the ball on the left flank. He drives. He cuts inside. He rolls it to the centre and Caleb Yirenkyi redirects it into the net.
The goal was scored in the 95th minute of the game thereby making Africa to has its first winner at the 2026 World Cup.
Ghana Win Over Panama Was the Most Dramatic African Moment of the Tournament So Far
The Ghana win over Panama in the World Cup 2026 became the most dramatic African moment of the tournament so far because of the last-minute goal. The match was an intensive one with Panama having moments of control and came close to scoring while Ghana improved after halftime.
Not just that, with various African teams in the tournament, Ghana stood out as the best African country in the opening round of the World Cup 2026. Other African nations had mixed starts like wins, draws, and losses, but Ghana’s last-minute goal stood out for its emotional intensity and narrative of hope.
Ghana’s fans and players celebrated wildly as Caleb Yirenkyi scored the goal in the fifth minute of second-half stoppage time to make Ghana win over Panama in both team’s opening World Cup match as it was rainy in Toronto.
Who Is Caleb Yirenkyi and How Did He Become Ghana’s World Cup Hero
Caleb Yirenkyi is a 20-year-old Ghanaian midfielder who became an instant national hero for the Black Stars by scoring a dramatic 95th-minute winner thereby making Ghana win over Panama in their opening match of the 2026 World Cup.
He is the youngest Ghanaian footballer to score at a World Cup, the second youngest Ghanaian overall goalscorer in World Cup, and one of the youngest players in World Cup history to score a winning goal in stoppage time. Caleb broke these records because of the goal he scored at the World Cup 2026.
Where Ghana Stand in Group L and What They Need to Qualify
Ghana played without their well skilled midfielder, Thomas Partey. He was denied entry into Canada when the team arrived for the tournament. Ghana coach, Carlos Queiroz defended the selection decision and the team’s preparation despite the high-profile absence of their most recognisable player in the squad.
Earlier on Wednesday, England defeated Croatia 4-2 in a match between the group favourites. At the start of the tournament, FIFA ranked England 4th, Croatia 11th, Panama at 34th, and Ghana at 73rd. This made Ghana by far the lowest-ranked side in the group and their opening win became one of the most significant upsets of the tournament’s early days.
Final Thoughts as Ghana win over Panama
Africa has ten teams at this tournament. South Africa lost 2-0 with 9 men. Ghana win over Panama 1-0 with a 95th minute goal. The continent needed a win and Ghana delivered it.
Ghana went into this World Cup ranked 73rd in the world. They played without their biggest star as they have zero shots on target for 88 minutes. And they still found a way to win. That is African football at its most stubborn and most beautiful.
Are you backing Ghana to make it out of Group L? Who do you think will be Africa’s best performer at the 2026 World Cup? Tell us below.
EasySmallTalk covers politics, entertainment, health, lifestyle, and world news every day. Explore more stories on EasySmallTalk
