Black Stars vice-captain Thomas Partey has praised youngster Caleb Yirenkyi following his decisive impact in Ghana’s opening World Cup Group L victory over Panama.
The 18-year-old FC Nordsjaelland midfielder stepped into the starting role in place of Partey, who missed the match at BMO Field in Toronto, and marked the occasion in style by scoring the only goal of the game to secure all three points for the West African side.
As Ghana prepare for a high-profile second group fixture against England at Gillette Stadium on Tuesday, Partey said Yirenkyi’s standout display came as no surprise to his teammates, highlighting the youngster’s growing influence within the squad.
”We all saw what he can do, and he’s not only good in the game. In training, he’s really good, and I’m happy to have such a talent in our team.”
He added that Yirenkyi is part of a wider group of emerging talents in the national setup, stressing the importance of patience and regular opportunities to help them reach their potential.
”And he’s not the only one, but we have a couple of them that are really doing well. They just need more chances, and they’ll be good.”
Kick-off for the England clash is scheduled for 20:00 GMT, with Ghana knowing that a win or draw could be enough to push them closer to a place in the knockout stage.
Carlos Queiroz’s side will conclude their Group L campaign against Croatia on June 27 as they aim to replicate Ghana’s historic 2010 run to the World Cup quarter-finals.
