Ghana’s national team opened their World Cup campaign with a narrow 1-0 victory over Panama on Thursday, sparking celebrations among supporters after a hard-fought performance in Toronto.
A late goal from Caleb Yerenkyi secured all three points for the Black Stars and placed them at the top of Group L alongside England.
The win comes despite Ghana missing key midfielder Thomas Partey, who was reportedly denied a visa over ongoing rape charges in Britain.
The result marks a positive start for one of Africa’s representatives at the tournament, as the continent’s ten participating teams continue to navigate a challenging opening week.
Across all fixtures so far, African teams have recorded mixed outcomes, with Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire emerging as the only sides to win their opening matches. The remaining teams have posted four draws and four defeats.
Collectively, the African sides have scored nine goals and conceded 12, reflecting an uneven but competitive start to the tournament.
Despite Senegal’s surprise 3-1 loss to France, most African teams remain firmly in contention for qualification to the knockout stages.
Ghana’s victory has boosted confidence within their camp ahead of a high-profile Group L clash against England in Massachusetts on Saturday, a match expected to test their early momentum.
Fans expressed optimism that the team’s disciplined performance and late-match resilience could set the tone for a stronger tournament run.
The Black Stars will now aim to build on their opening win as they prepare for one of their toughest group-stage fixtures.
