The Black Stars of Ghana on Thursday got off to a flying start in their Group L 2026 World Cup opener, securing all three points at the last kick of the game against Panama at BMO Field in Toronto, Canada.

It was looking like both teams were about to share the spoils when Ghana’s Caleb Yirenkyi scored a tap-in from a pass by Brandon Thomas-Asante in the fifth minute of injury time in the second half.

Ghana was victorious without Villarreal midfielder Thomas Partey, after Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada denied him a visa over his rape charges in the United Kingdom. An appeal in court against the visa denial was also quashed.

The match made Ghana’s veteran coach, Carlos Queiroz, the second coach to appear in five consecutive World Cups, after appearing with Portugal in 2010 and with Iran in 2014, 2018, and 2022.

After the match, 73-year-old Queiroz said, “With the football we played today, we can count on Ghana to do something.”

However, disappointed Panama coach, Thomas Christiansen said, “The result is ‌painful, but that’s because we deserved better. We were excellent in the first half; we controlled Ghana.”

“It is a cruel way to lose a game. But we can’t just keep dwelling on this error forever. Here ‌we have two games against very challenging opponents. We know the quality they have, but we will do our very best.”