Late Yirenkyi Strike Gives Ghana Winning Start Against Panama
By Angu Lesley
Football writer kick442.com – Cameroon
Ghana began their FIFA World Cup campaign with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Panama in their Group L opener, with Caleb Yirenkyi scoring a dramatic stoppage-time winner to hand the Black Stars all three points.
The two sides produced a closely contested encounter throughout the 90 minutes. Ghana enjoyed periods of dominance and looked the more threatening side in attack, while Panama remained organized defensively and posed a threat on the counterattack.
Despite several opportunities for both teams, neither side was able to break the deadlock during regulation time, and the match appeared to be heading towards a draw.
However, deep into stoppage time, Ghana found the decisive breakthrough. Caleb Yirenkyi struck in the 90+5th minute to spark celebrations among the Black Stars supporters and secure a winning start for Otto Addo’s men.
The victory gives Ghana an important early advantage in Group L and boosts their confidence ahead of their next fixture against England. Panama, meanwhile, will seek to recover when they take on Croatia in their second group match.
The result also means Ghana join England on three points after the Three Lions defeated Croatia 4-2 earlier in the day, setting up an intriguing clash between the two winners in the next round of Group L fixtures.
Final Score: Ghana 1-0 Panama.
Goalscorer: Caleb Yirenkyi (90+5’).