Ghana 'match winner' Caleb Yirenkyi's hails teammates for 'dream' World Cup start

The 20-year-old midfielder scored in the 95th minute at Toronto's BMO Field, calmly finishing into an empty net after a brilliant team move to secure three valuable points for the Black Stars.

The goal made Yirenkyi Ghana's latest-ever World Cup goalscorer, beating Asamoah Gyan's previous record from the 2010 tournament. His strike arrived at 94 minutes and four seconds, surpassing Gyan's stoppage-time goal against the United States.

Despite his historic moment, the FC Nordsjaelland midfielder was quick to praise his teammates.

"I feel quite good. I'll give the credit to the team. I'm quite happy," Yirenkyi said after the match.

The midfielder also became the second-youngest Ghanaian player to score at a World Cup, aged 20 years and 153 days, behind only Draman Haminu.

Yirenkyi's winning goal showed his determination and work rate. After helping start the move in midfield, he continued his run forward before connecting with Brandon Thomas-Asante's low cross and tapping home from close range.

"I just kept running and I got a nice ball from Brandon," he explained. "If you see the ball is ahead of you, you just want to keep running and catch up to the ball."

The goal was even more impressive considering the challenges he faced earlier in the match. Yirenkyi received a yellow card in the 16th minute after stopping a Panama counter-attack, but he remained focused and avoided further trouble.

"I got a lot of support from the staff and my teammates who encouraged me to just calm down and stay in the game," he said.

Yirenkyi had already announced himself on the international stage before the tournament, scoring in Ghana's 1-1 friendly draw against Wales shortly after making his senior debut.

Ghana head coach Carlos Queiroz praised the youngster's potential after that performance, saying: "He is a great player with a great future. He is still young with a lot of things to learn. With more experience, he can become one of the best players in the national team."

The midfielder's rise has been rapid. After coming through the Right to Dream Academy, he moved to FC Nordsjaelland, where he was named the club's Player of the Season last campaign.

He has also shown his versatility for Ghana, playing at right-back under Otto Addo before moving into a deeper midfield role under Queiroz.

"I am quite happy to serve my nation anywhere on the field. I don't really mind, I just do my job," Yirenkyi said.

The victory gave Ghana their sixth World Cup win, matching Nigeria's record for the most tournament victories by an African nation. The Black Stars will now prepare for a major Group L clash against England, with Yirenkyi confident his team can continue their progress.

"I'm very positive. Not just me, my teammates also. We have one goal to do our best in this tournament, and I think that's what we've shown today," he added.

READ MORE: How can I watch Bafana Bafana battle Czech Republic in the FIFA World Cup 2026?