The Black Stars of Ghana on Wednesday secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Panama in their opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Toronto.
Ghana struggled to gain control of possession in the first half as Panama dominated proceedings but failed to convert their chances, largely due to the outstanding performance of Ghanaian goalkeeper Ati Zigi.
Zigi proved instrumental for the Black Stars, commanding his defence effectively and making crucial saves to deny Panama the opening goal.
However, the goalkeeper was unable to continue after the interval following a collision before halftime and was replaced by Benjamin Asare.
Ghana returned for the second half with renewed intensity and eventually found the breakthrough in the fifth minute of stoppage time.
Thomas Asante led a swift counter-attack and delivered a precise pass to Yirenkyi, who calmly slotted home his first international goal to seal victory for the Black Stars.
Panama Head Coach, Thomas Christiansen, described the defeat as painful, insisting his side deserved a better result.
“The result is painful; that is because we deserved better.
“We controlled the first half, but in the second half, we played their game a bit more.
“That is not how we wanted to play, but now is not the time for regrets,” he said.
Ghana coach Carlos Queiroz praised his players for their determination and commitment.
“I am tired. This was a really intensive game. The wins in this World Cup are very expensive.
“Our players have shown they are ready to pay a high price for victory,” Queiroz said.
The victory marked Ghana’s sixth win in FIFA World Cup history, drawing level with Nigeria’s Super Eagles as the African teams with the highest number of World Cup victories.
Ghana will face England in their second Group match on June 23 in Boston, while Panama will take on Croatia in Toronto.
