Sixteen years apart, the No. 3 shirt delivers again for Ghana at the World Cup

Football has a funny way of creating stories no one sees coming.

Back in 2010, Asamoah Gyan wore Ghana's No. 3 shirt and scored the only goal as the Black Stars beat Serbia 1-0 to record their first-ever opening-match victory at a FIFA World Cup. That win set the tone for Ghana's memorable run to the quarter-finals in South Africa.

Sixteen years later, history repeated itself.

This time, it was Caleb Yirenkyi wearing the No. 3 jersey. Making his World Cup debut, the midfielder scored a dramatic 95th-minute winner to give Ghana a 1-0 victory over Panama and only the country's second opening-game win at football's biggest tournament.

What made the moment even more special was that Gyan was there to witness it. The former Black Stars captain was among Ghana's VIP delegation at Toronto Stadium, watching from the stands as Yirenkyi followed in his footsteps with another unforgettable opening-day winner.

The similarities are remarkable.

Both players wore the No. 3 shirt. Both scored the winning goal in a 1-0 victory. Both gave Ghana the perfect start to a World Cup campaign.

For Yirenkyi, the moment capped a dream few could have imagined just weeks earlier. With Thomas Partey unavailable, Carlos Queiroz handed the young midfielder a place in the starting line-up. He repaid that faith in the final moments, arriving at the back post to turn home Brandon Thomas-Asante's cross and send the Black Stars bench into celebration.

It was a goal that carried more than just three points. It kept Ghana's proud World Cup tradition alive and gave the Black Stars an early advantage in a difficult group that also includes England and Croatia.

Asamoah Gyan's goal against Serbia remains one of the defining moments in Ghana's World Cup history.

Now, Caleb Yirenkyi has written his own chapter.

Whether it is a coincidence or football's way of creating lasting memories, the No. 3 shirt has once again produced Ghana's opening-match hero, this time with Gyan watching from the stands as history repeated itself.