Ghana captain Jordan Ayew praised his team’s patience and determination after the Black Stars earned a dramatic 1-0 victory over Panama in their opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Caleb Yirenkyi scored the winning goal deep into stoppage time after Brandon Thomas-Asante made a strong run forward and delivered a low cross into the penalty area.
The result rewarded a disciplined performance from Ghana, who spent much of the game defending against an energetic Panama side supported by passionate fans.
Panama created the better chances in the first half, with goalkeeper Lawrence Ati-Zigi making several important saves before he was forced off at halftime after a collision.
Ghana improved after the break and became more dangerous as the match went on before finally finding the winning goal in the 95th minute.
Ayew said the team knew they needed to remain calm even when Panama appeared to be in control.
“When our chances came, we took them. Obviously, we needed to be patient. We knew they would get tired.
“Obviously, football is like that. Sometimes you have difficult spells, but you just need to stay in the game. That’s what we did.
“At the end of the day, we won the game. That’s the most important thing.”
The victory gives Ghana a strong start in Group L as the Black Stars now prepare for their next World Cup match against England in Boston. Here are all in sports.
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