Ghana Beats Panama 1-0 In Late World Cup Drama

Ghana Wins Opening Match With A Very Late Goal Ghana Wins Opening Match With A Very Late Goal ​TORONTO — Ghana started their World Cup tournament with an exciting 1-0 victory against Panama. The match took place in rainy conditions at the Toronto Stadium in Canada. ​Both teams worked very hard but struggled to make clear chances to score for most of the game. Panama's defense looked strong and organized, which made it hard for Ghana to break through. Ghana even failed to take a single shot during the entire first half of the match. ​The Winning Moment ​The match looked like it would end in a scoreless draw. However, in the 95th minute of the game, Ghana launched a quick attack from their own side of the field. Brandon Thomas-Asante ran fast down the left side and passed the ball directly into the box. Caleb Yirenkyi arrived at the exact right time and tapped the ball straight into the net. This late goal won the match for the Black Stars and sent the fans into wild celebrations. ​Goalkeeper Switch ​Ghana had a setback when their main goalkeeper, Lawrence Ati Zigi, was injured after heavy collisions in the first half. He had made an important early save against Panama striker Cecilio Waterman. Substitute goalkeeper Benjamin Asare came on for the second half and kept a clean sheet to protect the win. ​Group L Table ​This win gives Ghana three vital points in Group L. They are currently in second place, just behind England who beat Croatia 4-2 in the other group fixture. ​England: 1 Played | 3 Points | +2 Goal Difference ​Ghana: 1 Played | 3 Points | +1 Goal Difference ​Panama: 1 Played | 0 Points | -1 Goal Difference ​Croatia: 1 Played | 0 Points | -2 Goal Difference ​Ghana will play their next World Cup match against England on Tuesday, June 23.