Antoine Semenyo has sent a strong warning to England and Croatia at the 2026 FIFA World Cup following Ghana's crucial victory over Panama. The Manchester City striker was part of the Black Stars squad that secured a vital 1-0 win, courtesy of a stoppage-time goal from Caleb Yirenkyi in Toronto. The result lifted Ghana to second place in Group L with three points, while England sit at the top of the standings on goal difference after their opening victory over Croatia.
Dramatic Late Winner Against Panama
The Black Stars secured a dramatic 1-0 victory over Panama at Toronto Stadium on Thursday, June 18. Caleb Yirenkyi, who plays for Nordsjælland, finished off a sweeping counterattack with a simple tap-in during the fifth minute of second-half stoppage time to hand Ghana a dramatic late winner. Panama were the better side in the first half, while Ghana grew into the contest after the break and controlled more of the possession.
Key Moments in the Match
In the second minute, Ghana goalkeeper Lawrence Ati Zigi produced an excellent save, diving to his right to deny Cecilio Waterman from close range. Panama threatened again in the 38th minute when Ati Zigi punched clear a dangerous cross, but Jiovany Ramos fired his follow-up effort wide of the target. Ati Zigi was forced off at halftime through injury, with Benjamin Asare coming on to replace him in goal. Remarkably, Ghana failed to register a single shot in the opening half, becoming the first team at this year's World Cup to record that unwanted statistic.
Semenyo Declares Readiness Against England
Ghana forward Antoine Semenyo said the Black Stars will give their best when they take on England in their second match. According to GFA, Semenyo explained that the match will be tough and the squad will train well after their victory against Panama. He said: "We know it's going to be a tough game. I feel like we're not going to get ahead of ourselves. We know we want to win that game, but we know it's not going to be easy either. Make sure we recover well now and make sure we train well leading up to the England game."
Reflecting on the Panama Victory
He added: "Like I said, Panama had a great first half. They kept the ball really well. We struggled in the press as individuals out wide, up front, couldn't get the ball, couldn't get shots away. The coach just said, we just need to be brave. We need to start pressing as a team. Slowly, into the second half, we had that energy to go up and press and cause problems. That led to the winner."
Bettor Loses Huge Fortune on Ghana
Legit.ng earlier reported that a football bettor suffered a devastating loss after staking $840,000 on Ghana failing to defeat Panama. The wager could have produced a payout worth around $1.4 million (approximately ₦1.9 billion), but Yirenkyi's stoppage-time winner ensured the entire stake was wiped out.
