Ghana and Panama were about a minute away from producing the least entertaining World Cup game so far.
Read more Knicks set to be first NBA team to visit White House under Trump
One touch changed that narrative instantly.
Ghana scored the winner in the fifth minute of six added stoppage minutes, running through on the break in style. Substitute forward Brandon Thomas-Asante ran down the left flank and stayed poised before squaring it into the box.
That’s when 20-year-old midfielder Caleb Yirenkyi easily tapped it home. Cue the scenes in what could be an important goal for the Black Stars in their 1-0 win Wednesday in Toronto.
Up until that point, both Ghana and Panama largely struggled to create enough quality in the final third. It was an end-to-end game that can satisfy the neutral spectator in one aspect, but the other parts — goals, thrilling moments — were absent.
The Black Stars were seen as the favorites in this one due to their superior attacking quality and speed, though star Antoine Semenyo needed a bit more help overall.
Ghana’s midfield also suffered with the absence of Thomas Partey, who was denied a visa into Canada due to criminal charges he faces in Europe.
Read more Sargassum blankets South Florida beaches… What about the West coast? Here’s what to know
Panama were the slight underdogs, but it wouldn’t have been beyond the nation to pull off an upset.
In the end, it was Yirenkyi, a potential breakout star for Ghana ahead of the tournament, that etched his name into the history books.
He currently plays for FC Nordsjælland in Denmark’s top-flight league and profiles as a versatile box-to-box midfielder with a strong engine. He can also do a job at right-back if needed, which is an area teams are always looking for options in.
Ghana is now second in an interesting Group L. England and Croatia are the favorites to advance in the top two spots, but the Black Stars will try to fight off the Checkered Ones with the Three Lions likely securing first.
Croatia fell to England earlier on Wednesday as Harry Kane recorded a brace in a 4-2 win in Dallas.
Read more Miami-Dade School Board approves closing 9 schools as enrollment falls, charters move in