Black Starry Night: Ghana scores in injury time for 1-0 win over Panama at World Cup

“Everyone is going crazy in the change-room right now,” Ghana midfielder Antoine Semenyo said in the media interview area nearby.

The announced crowd of 42,942 was split on a wet, chilly evening at the lakefront venue. The stadium’s south sections were packed with red Panama shirts while sections on the north side were sporting Ghana yellow.

Both groups of supporters had little to cheer about in a match that had a few interesting moments but lacked sustained creativity.

Ghana, ranked 73rd in the world, didn’t have midfielder Thomas Partey in the lineup as he was denied entry into Canada.

The 32-year-old awaits trial next year in England on seven counts of rape and one count of sexual assault. He has pleaded not guilty.

A day earlier, a federal judge dismissed Partey’s bid for emergency relief so that he could travel from the U.S. for the match.

“He’s a great player for us to have,” Yirenkyi said. “Hopefully we’ll have him back in the next games. We hope for the best for him.”

A followup question on the subject wasn’t answered. An official ended the availability and ushered the player out of the media area.

Panama, the world No. 34 playing without injured star Adalberto (Coco) Carrasquilla, pressed early and was nearly rewarded. Cecilio Waterman’s shot in the second minute forced Ghana goalkeeper Lawrence Ati-Zigi to make a brilliant diving save.

Ghana was on the back foot for most of the first half and would use long balls to the wings when on the attack. Panama’s defenders were up to the task.

Panama’s Christian Martinez was taken down in the box after the hydration break but the referee wasn’t swayed. Late in the half, teammate Jiovany Ramos ran forward from the back and fired a half-volley that just missed the top corner.

Ghana swapped goalkeepers after the mid-game break with Benjamin Asare coming on for Ati-Zigi, who endured a physical 45 minutes with plenty of hard contact.

The Black Stars nearly broke the deadlock in the 65th minute. After a crossed ball eluded Panama goalkeeper Orlando Mosquera, Ramos tapped it just outside the post to prevent a sliding Jordan Ayew from getting his boot on it.

Both teams had chances late in the second half but neither goalkeeper was really tested. Play opened up as the minutes ticked down with Ghana finally breaking through.

“At the end, we’re sad about the final result,” said Panama coach Thomas Christiansen. “But we have to be proud of how we managed the game during a big part of (it).”

This was the second of six World Cup games to be played in Toronto. Tournament co-host Canada opened with a 1-1 draw here last Friday against Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Vancouver will host seven games, including a Canada game against Qatar on Thursday.

The Ghana side returns to the U.S. for its remaining group-play games against England on Tuesday and Croatia on June 27.

A second-place finish in Group L, while unlikely for a team in a group with two soccer heavyweights, could see Ghana return north of the border July 2 against the second-place finisher from Group K.

Canada has said immigration decisions are made on a case-by-case basis and that hosting the World Cup does not change the country’s immigration laws.

Justice Roger Lafrenière said Partey failed to show grounds for emergency relief and found the balance of convenience favoured maintaining Canada’s immigration rules.

The Panamanians, meanwhile, have been training at a resort in New Tecumseth, Ont., about a 90-minute drive north of the city.

Panama will return to Toronto Stadium on Tuesday before closing out its group-play schedule June 27 in East Rutherford, N.J., against England.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 17, 2026.

Gregory Strong, The Canadian Press

by The Canadian Press