Africa-Press. The Ghanaian national team secured a valuable last-minute victory against Panama with a score of 1-0 in their opening match of the 2026 World Cup, held on Wednesday evening in Toronto, Canada.
The match remained goalless until stoppage time, when Caleb Yirenkyi scored the winning goal for the “Black Stars” following a crucial assist from Brandon Thomas-Asante, giving his team their first three points in the tournament.
With this victory, Ghana occupies second place in Group L, behind England, which defeated Croatia 4-2 on goal difference. The Ghanaian team made several attempts to clinch the match, with notable chances from Jordan Ayew and Jonas Adjetey, before Yirenkyi’s late goal sealed the game. Meanwhile, Panama came close to achieving their first point in World Cup history but suffered a painful blow in the final moments.
Ghana is preparing for a tough match against England in the next round, scheduled for next Tuesday in Boston, in a crucial test within the group.
Additionally, the Democratic Republic of Congo held Portugal to a 1-1 draw in their match at NRG Stadium in Houston, USA, during the first round of Group K in the 2026 World Cup.
The Portuguese team took an early lead through Joao Neves in the sixth minute, capitalizing on a precise cross from Pedro Neto and scoring with a powerful header. Despite the challenging start, the Congolese team managed to return to the game and imposed their organized defensive style against the squad led by Roberto Martinez and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Just before the end of the first half, Yuan Wisa equalized for the Democratic Republic of Congo in the 45th minute with a brilliant header from a cross by Arthur Masuaku, ending the first half in a positive draw.
In the second half, Portugal attempted to regain the lead but faced a solid Congolese defense and an outstanding goalkeeper. A goal by Joao Cancelo was disallowed for offside, while Cristiano Ronaldo missed a clear opportunity to score in the 70th minute.
The Democratic Republic of Congo maintained the score until the final whistle, earning a valuable point in their World Cup debut, while Portugal settled for a draw as they began their quest for the title.
The Congolese team is preparing for their next match against Colombia on June 24, before concluding the group stage with a match against Uzbekistan on June 28.
