Caleb Yirenkyi completed a sweeping counterattack with a tap-in goal in the fifth minute of second-half stoppage time, lifting Ghana to a 1-0 win over Panama in both teams’ opening World Cup match on Wednesday in rainy Toronto.
After Ghana quickly moved the play from their own half, Brandon Thomas-Asante drove the ball into the 18-yard box down the left flank. He rolled a pass toward the middle for Yirenkyi to redirect into the net.
After a very quiet first half, the teams picked up the tempo in the second half, but scoring chances remained minimal until the decisive play.
Panama were the superior team before halftime, while Ghana dictated more of the play after intermission.
The match was viewed as a crucial showdown between teams expected to battle for third place in Group L. Earlier on Wednesday, England defeated Croatia 4-2 in a matchup of the group favorites. At the start of the tournament, FIFA ranked England No. 4, Croatia No. 11, Panama No. 34 and Ghana No. 73.
In the second minute, Ghana goalkeeper Lawrence Ati Zigi was called into action, diving to his right to stop a 15-yard volley attempt by Cecilio Waterman.
Panama had another half-chance in the 38th minute. Ati Zigi made a leaping punch to clear a cross. The ball fell to Panama’s Jiovany Ramos, who sliced his 14-yard, right-footed strike wide to the right.
Ati Zigi was replaced at halftime due to an injury, with Benjamin Asare taking over in net.
Ghana attempted no shots in the first half, the first team in this year’s World Cup to accomplish that dubious feat. Jonas Adjetey ended the drought with a header, which Panama’s Orlando Mosquera stopped in the 48th minute.
The Ghanaians were missing midfielder Thomas Partey, who was denied a visa to enter Canada due to pending sexual-assault charges against him in England. He has denied the accusations. Partey will be available for Ghana’s other two group games, both to be played in the United States.
Ghana are in the World Cup for the fifth time in the past six editions, with their best result being a quarterfinal appearance in 2010.
Panama are competing at just their second World Cup, having lost all three of their group-stage matches in 2018.
Both teams are back in action on Tuesday, with Ghana facing England in Foxborough, Mass., and Panama opposing Croatia in Toronto.
–Field Level Media
