Partey grounded in Boston as Ghana go without their best
Four hours out, the heaviest name on Ghana's sheet is the one stuck at base camp.
It's official. Thomas Partey watches this one from Ghana's Boston camp, his Toronto visa rejected. The ex-Arsenal man faces rape and sexual assault charges at home and has pleaded not guilty to all of them. Sports minister Kofi Adams branded the grounds 'flimsy' and asked Canada to think again — but for Panama, the answer is no. He's expected back for the fixtures that follow.
So Ghana lose their most influential midfielder on the very night they could lean on him. One draw, four defeats, that's the record from their last five. The most recent? A 1-1 with Wales, where Caleb Yirenkyi at least found the net.
Panama carry the warmer tale. Cecilio Waterman and Alberto Quintero, both in their mid-30s, finally arrive at a World Cup debut — and they sit behind Christiansen's pragmatic, physically imposing setup. The bookmakers still back Ghana. Without Partey, though, I'm not convinced.
Written and fact-checked by our AI preview desk from live match data. Refreshed as kickoff nears.
