Late Drama as Ghana Stun Panama with Injury-Time Winner

Ghana snatched a dramatic 1-0 victory over Panama thanks to a stoppage-time goal in their FIFA World Cup clash at Toronto Stadium, breaking Panamanian hearts just moments before the final whistle.

The decisive moment came deep into injury time when Ghana finally found a breakthrough after a match that had appeared destined to end in a goalless draw.

Panama started the brighter side and nearly opened the scoring within the opening two minutes. A shot from Cecilio Waterman forced Ghana goalkeeper Lawrence Ati-Zigi into an early save, raising expectations of an entertaining contest.

Waterman controlled a bouncing ball well before unleashing an effort on goal, but Ati-Zigi reacted sharply to keep the score level. From that point on, Panama remained the more threatening side for much of the first half.

Ghana struggled to impose themselves and managed only one shot before the interval. At the other end, Panama continued to press, with Edgar Yoel Bárcenas and his teammates causing problems for the Ghanaian defense, while another effort from Ismael Díaz went narrowly off target.

The first half was particularly disappointing from Ghana's perspective, as the African side appeared sluggish and lacked attacking urgency.

After the break, the match became more evenly balanced, with both teams enjoying spells of possession and creating occasional opportunities. However, neither side could find the finishing touch, and the game seemed set to end level as injury time ticked away.

Then came the dramatic breakthrough.

In the fifth minute of stoppage time, Antoine Semenyo once again became the focal point of a Ghana attack. The forward released Brandon Thomas-Asante down the left flank with a perfectly weighted pass.

The Coventry City striker managed to get past his marker and delivered a low cross into the penalty area. There, Saleb Yerenkyi threw himself at the ball and managed to divert it over the goal line from close range.

The late strike sparked wild celebrations among Ghanaian players and supporters inside the stadium, while Panama were left devastated after coming so close to earning a valuable point.

Neither side created another clear opportunity after the goal, and Ghana held on to secure a dramatic 1-0 victory, earning three crucial points in their World Cup campaign.

MMR