Ryan Williams scored at his club ground, and India held World Cup side Panama 1-1 in Bengaluru
Ryan Williams put India ahead in the 41st minute at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium before Omar Valencia equalised from long range. Brazil and Uruguay come next, in Kolkata.
Sep 26, 2026
Ryan Williams made one run in behind, got one ball and slid it past the goalkeeper. It came in the 41st minute at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium on Friday, at the ground where his Indian career started, and it put India ahead of a team that played at the World Cup in June. Omar Valencia equalised for Panama with a long-range shot in the 68th minute, and the friendly finished 1-1.
India are ranked 138th in the world and Panama 44th. Khalid Jamil agreed it was India’s best match. That may be a stretch across his whole spell in charge, but judged against the last few months it is hard to argue with.
How the goal came
Williams gave the credit to Manvir Singh. The two had worked on it in training: Manvir came short and pulled a defender out with him, and Williams timed his run into the space behind. Most of those runs come to nothing, he said afterwards. “But lucky enough today, I made one run, I got one ball, and I managed to slide it past the keeper.”
He was named player of the match, and he enjoyed where it happened. Williams plays his club football for Bengaluru FC at the same stadium. “This is where I started my career in Indian football,” he said. “For me to score in front of all the fans, but especially the West Block Blues and the BFC fans, very special.”
He also admitted it was hard work. The plan had been for him to play as a No 10, but the game did not allow it, and for long spells he and Manvir were holding the ball up and waiting for help. “These are really good defenders, so we take a lot of confidence from this game,” he said.
Panama pushed after the break
Panama were the better side in the second half and they got their goal from distance, Valencia hitting it from long range. Neither team found a winner after that, although both tried.
Thomas Christiansen’s side at least scored, which they could not manage in June. They went to the World Cup, lost all three group games and did not get a goal, and they came to Bengaluru with three players out injured and others joining late from their clubs. A draw against the 138th-ranked side is unlikely to please them.
Still no win, but a different feel
The draw does not end India’s winless run. They lost both games at the Unity Cup in London in May without scoring, then lost 3-1 and drew 1-1 in Tajikistan in June. That is now five without a win.
It does feel different, though, and Jamil wanted the players to get the credit. “Because of them we got this result,” he said. “They are very mature. I just want to say that they need more support and positivity, more support.”
He will need that goodwill for what comes next. India play Brazil on 3 October and Uruguay on 6 October, both in Kolkata. Holding Panama is one thing. Those two are a different level, and I would take a single goal in either game as progress.