Ghana Match Nigeria’s African World Cup Record With Dramatic Win

Ghana have equalled Nigeria’s record for the most World Cup victories by an African nation after securing a dramatic 1-0 win over Panama in their opening Group L fixture at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The Black Stars were pushed to the limit in a tightly contested encounter in Toronto but ultimately found a breakthrough deep into stoppage time through Caleb Yirenkyi, who calmly converted from close range after a well-worked move down the left flank.

The decisive moment came in the 95th minute, with Ghana capitalising on sustained pressure in added time. Brandon Thomas-Asante played a key role in the build-up, beating his marker before delivering a precise pass across goal for Yirenkyi to finish.

The result saw Ghana extend their strong World Cup history while also matching Nigeria’s all-time African record of six World Cup victories. Nigeria, who have not qualified for the 2026 edition, previously set the benchmark across multiple tournament appearances.

Ghana’s win was hard-fought, as Panama proved stubborn opponents throughout the match and threatened to frustrate the four-time African champions for long spells. However, the Black Stars maintained patience and composure until the decisive late breakthrough.

The victory also places Ghana in a strong position in Group L alongside England, with momentum now firmly on their side heading into their next group fixture.

Historically, Ghana have been one of Africa’s most consistent World Cup performers since their debut in 2006, reaching the round of 16 on their first appearance and later advancing to the quarter-finals in 2010, where they were eliminated in dramatic fashion.

With this latest win, Ghana continue to strengthen their reputation on the global stage while keeping their hopes of a deep 2026 World Cup run alive.