Ghana secured a dramatic 1-0 victory over Panama in their opening Group L match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Wednesday, thanks to a stoppage-time winner from Caleb Yirenkyi in Toronto.
The Black Stars and Panama battled through a tightly contested encounter that appeared destined to end in a goalless draw before Yirenkyi struck in the fifth minute of added time, sparking wild celebrations among Ghanaian supporters inside the Toronto Stadium.
Panama came close to taking an early lead when Cecilio Waterman tested Ghana goalkeeper Lawrence Ati Zigi in the second minute, but the shot-stopper reacted well to keep the scores level.
Despite the early scare, both teams struggled to create clear-cut opportunities in a largely uneventful first half, with Ghana failing to register a shot on target before the break.
The game opened up after halftime as steady rain fell over the stadium. Panama threatened through Cristian Martinez, whose powerful effort found the side-netting in the 60th minute, drawing a huge reaction from the Panamanian fans in attendance.
However, just as the match seemed headed for a draw, Yirenkyi bundled home the decisive goal deep into stoppage time to hand Ghana all three points.
The victory marked a memorable start for veteran coach Carlos Queiroz, who took charge of the Black Stars only months before the tournament.
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The Portuguese tactician also made history by becoming just the second coach to appear at five consecutive FIFA World Cups after previous stints with Portugal and Iran.
Ghana achieved the result without midfielder Thomas Partey, who was unavailable after being denied a visa by Canadian authorities due to an ongoing legal case in Britain.
Meanwhile, Colombia opened their Group K campaign with a convincing 3-1 victory over World Cup debutants Uzbekistan at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.
Luis Diaz was the standout performer for the South Americans, contributing a goal and an assist in front of more than 80,000 spectators.
Diaz set up Daniel Munoz for Colombia’s opening goal in the 40th minute with a precise lofted pass, but Uzbekistan responded through Abbosbek Fayzullaev, who scored his nation’s first-ever World Cup goal after reacting quickest to a rebound.
Colombia regained control when Diaz restored their lead with a strike that slipped past Uzbek goalkeeper Utkir Yusupov, before Jaminton Campaz sealed the victory with a late header.
The result moved Colombia to the top of Group K, ahead of Portugal and the Democratic Republic of Congo, who played out a 1-1 draw earlier in the day.