When the final whistle sounded at BMO Field, Antoine Semenyo barely needed words. His expression said it all. Ghana 1-0 Panama. Three priceless points. And deep inside the Toronto dressing room, chaos had already taken over.
“Everyone’s going crazy in the changing room, I’ll be honest,” Semenyo admitted after the match. “The emotions were really high. We just really wanted to win the game, and yeah, we’re happy we got the three points.”
It was a simple reflection on a night packed with tension, relief, and release. But beneath the celebration lay the heavy context of Ghana’s journey into the tournament — a squad arriving in North America surrounded by uncertainty, setbacks, and pressure.
Missing key figures like Thomas Partey, denied entry into Canada, and Mohammed Kudus through injury, and with Carlos Queiroz only recently taking charge, expectations had been cautious at best. Add a worrying run of form before the tournament, and belief had been tested.
Even the first half against Panama did little to calm nerves: no shots on target, just 36 percent possession, and a forced goalkeeper change at halftime after an injury to Lawrence Ati-Zigi. Yet, somehow, Ghana endured.
And Semenyo knows all about endurance.
From being rejected as a teenager by multiple English clubs to quitting football at 15, rebuilding his career, and eventually rising to the top level with Bristol City and beyond, his story has always been about resilience. Even the biggest stages have felt like extensions of that journey.
“It was very surreal… but I just want to prove we’re a top nation,” he said before the tournament. “Since the last World Cup, we’ve gained experience. I feel mentally stronger, healthier, and 100 per cent ready.”
That mentality showed under pressure in Toronto. While Panama controlled long spells and Ghana struggled to find rhythm, Semenyo kept running, pressing, and pushing the team forward when momentum seemed lost.
The breakthrough eventually came in dramatic fashion through 20-year-old Caleb Yirenkyi, who scored in the 95th minute after a decisive assist from Brandon Thomas-Asante — a moment built on persistence and belief.
Even Ghana President John Dramani Mahama had urged calm confidence before the tournament, saying: “We have confidence in you. I’m sure with every match you’ll improve.”
Against Panama, improvement came at the perfect time.
Looking ahead, the challenge only gets bigger. England await at Gillette Stadium in Boston on June 23 — a fixture filled with personal meaning for Semenyo, who was born and raised in England and will face familiar faces across the pitch.
“I don’t think it changes anything for me,” he said. “But playing against my friends, I want to prove a point. We are a top nation. We can compete with and beat the best.”
Back in Toronto, though, none of that mattered for the moment. The dressing room was still buzzing. The three points were secured. And Semenyo, right in the heart of it, could finally smile — knowing Ghana had found a way again.
