Ghana secured a late 1-0 victory over Panama in their Group L match on Thursday, thanks to a stoppage-time goal from Caleb Yirenkyi. The win places Ghana alongside England at the top of the group with both teams having six points after two matches.

The deciding moment came when Yirenkyi tapped in a cross from Brandon Thomas-Asante deep into added time, breaking a match marked by limited clear scoring opportunities. The encounter, held in rainy conditions in Toronto, was tightly contested, with both sides struggling to create sustained pressure.

Panama started brightly, with an early attempt by Cecilio Waterman forcing a solid save from Ghana goalkeeper Lawrence Ati-Zigi in the second minute. Panama continued to press, with Cristian Martínez seeing a penalty claim rejected and Jiovany Ramos firing over the bar following a punched clearance from Ati-Zigi. However, chances remained scarce in the often cagey first half.

Ghana's response grew more meaningful after Manchester City’s Antoine Semenyo drifted centrally, eventually setting up their first serious attempt just before halftime. A through ball intended for Marvin Senaya narrowly missed the target. In the second half, both teams had moments of promise: Jonas Adjetey’s header was saved by Panama keeper Orlando Mosquera, while Panama’s Martínez missed an opportunity at the other end. Jordan Ayew came close for Ghana but was denied at the last moment by Ramos, who also had a curling shot go wide.

The match opened up late on, with Panama’s Ramos and Ghana’s Thomas-Asante both denied by offside calls or goalkeeping interventions. Ultimately, it was Thomas-Asante’s assist that allowed Yirenkyi to score the game-winner.

Ghana coach Carlos Queiroz praised his team’s performance but acknowledged room for improvement, particularly in their first-half approach. He noted that his players were “naive and not aggressive” early on and expressed concern over the potential availability of Ati-Zigi for Ghana’s upcoming group match against England in Boston on Tuesday, though no further details were provided.

Panama head coach Thomas Christiansen described the defeat as “painful” and insisted his team deserved a better outcome. He emphasized the harsh consequences of mistakes at the World Cup level and vowed that Panama would remain competitive in their next fixture against Croatia.

With the group tightly contested, the match underscored the fine margins teams face in advancing to the knockout stages of the tournament.