Ghana midfielder Thomas Partey will be available for the Black Stars‘ World Cup Round of 32 meeting with Colombia after the team’s third-place finish in Group L ensured their knockout fixture will be played in the United States rather than Canada.
Before Ghana’s final group match against Croatia, there had been uncertainty over whether the vice-captain would be able to feature beyond the group stage. A second-place finish in the group would have sent the Black Stars to Toronto for a last-32 encounter against Portugal, where Partey would have remained unavailable after Canadian authorities previously denied him entry into the country.
The experienced midfielder had already missed Ghana’s opening World Cup match against Panama after Canadian immigration officials refused him entry because of his ongoing legal case in the United Kingdom. Partey faces seven counts of rape and one count of sexual assault involving four women and has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
An appeal lodged by the Ghana Football Association failed, leaving him unable to participate in matches staged in Canada during the tournament.
Despite speculation surrounding a possible return to Toronto should Ghana finish second, head coach Carlos Queiroz made it clear before the Croatia match that his squad’s attention was fixed on securing qualification rather than considering possible opponents or venues in the knockout rounds.
Ghana were beaten 2-1 by Croatia in Philadelphia in their final Group L fixture, a result that left them third in the standings. However, the Black Stars still advanced to the Round of 32 after qualifying as one of the competition’s best third-placed teams.
Their reward is a meeting with Group K winners Colombia in Kansas City, where Partey will be eligible for selection.
The outcome has provided Ghana with a significant boost ahead of one of their biggest matches of the tournament, as they avoid another trip to Canada and regain the services of one of their most experienced midfielders.
Partey returned to action in the defeat by Croatia after the legal and travel issues that ruled him out of the opening match against Panama. His availability is expected to strengthen Ghana’s midfield against a Colombian side that secured top spot in Group K ahead of Portugal.
The circumstances represent a notable twist in Ghana’s World Cup campaign. Had the Black Stars secured second place instead of finishing third, they would have faced Portugal in Toronto without one of their key players because of the Canadian travel restrictions.
Instead, progression as one of the best third-placed teams has handed Ghana a different route through the knockout stage and ensured Partey can be considered for selection against Colombia.
His availability offers Queiroz an experienced option as Ghana attempt to reach the Round of 16 for the first time since the country’s memorable run to the quarter-finals at the 2010 World Cup.
