BY KUNLE SOLAJA, VANCOUVER

Ghana will look to make a strong start to their FIFA World Cup campaign when they take on Panama in a Group L encounter, with both sides aware that victory could prove crucial in the race for a place in the knockout stage.

The Black Stars will rely on the experience of captain Jordan Ayew, who is appearing at his third World Cup finals. At 34 years and 279 days, Ayew could become the oldest player ever to represent Ghana at a World Cup, adding another milestone to a distinguished international career.

Panama, meanwhile, arrive with valuable tournament experience of their own. Seven members of their squad featured during the Central Americans’ only previous World Cup appearance in 2018, giving coach Thomas Christiansen a core of players familiar with football’s biggest stage.

With England and Croatia also in Group L, both Ghana and Panama know that avoiding defeat could be just as important as chasing victory in what promises to be a closely contested battle.

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BY KUNLE SOLAJA, VANCOUVER

Erling Haaland announced his arrival at the FIFA World Cup in emphatic fashion on Tuesday, becoming the sixth player to score twice at the tournament as Norway crushed Iraq 4-1 to move top of Group I.

Playing in Norway’s first World Cup match in 28 years, the prolific striker needed less than half an hour to open his account and quickly demonstrated why he is regarded as one of the most feared forwards in world football.

Haaland’s brace placed him among a select group of players who have scored two goals in a single match at the 2026 World Cup, further enhancing his credentials as a contender for the Golden Boot award.

The Manchester City star opened the scoring in the 29th minute when he slid in at the far post to convert a low cross from left back David Moller Wolfe, giving Norway a deserved lead.

Iraq responded strongly and drew level 10 minutes later through veteran striker Aymen Hussein, who rose above three Norwegian defenders to power home a header and briefly silence the Scandinavian supporters.

But parity lasted only four minutes.

Haaland capitalised on a costly defensive error when Zaid Tahseen’s under-hit back pass left goalkeeper Jalal Hassan in trouble. The Iraqi keeper hesitated before attempting a hurried clearance, only for the ball to strike Haaland’s knee and rebound into the net for the striker’s second goal of the evening.

The strike was Haaland’s 57th goal in just 51 international appearances, underlining his extraordinary scoring record for Norway.

With Iraq chasing another equaliser, Norway tightened their grip on the contest in the second half. Substitute Leo Ostigard added a third goal in the 76th minute, heading home from a corner to effectively settle the outcome.

The scoring was completed in the closing moments when Hussein inadvertently turned the ball into his own net, giving Norway a commanding 4-1 victory.

The result lifted Norway to the top of Group I ahead of France, who defeated Senegal 3-1 earlier in the day.

For Haaland, however, the night was about more than three points. After waiting years for his first World Cup appearance, the 25-year-old delivered the kind of performance Norway had dreamed of, immediately establishing himself among the tournament’s most dangerous attacking threats and sending a clear warning to defenders across North America.

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BY KUNLE SOLAJA, VANCOUVER

Ghana’s hopes of having midfielder Thomas Partey available for their crucial FIFA World Cup clash against Panama suffered a major setback on Tuesday after a Canadian court dismissed his appeal against a visa refusal.

The Federal Court in Ottawa rejected an application by Partey, 33, seeking to overturn a decision by Canadian authorities that denied him entry into the country ahead of Ghana’s Group L encounter in Toronto on Wednesday.

In his ruling, Judge Roger Lafreniere said Partey had sought “extraordinary, mandatory interlocutory relief” that would have compelled Canadian authorities to set aside a “lawfully rendered inadmissibility finding and facilitate his entry for a specific event.”

The decision effectively ends the player’s efforts to feature in Ghana’s second group match after his legal team confirmed before the ruling that no further appeal would be pursued if the case was dismissed.

Partey’s lawyer, Mackeda Bramwell, had expressed optimism about the outcome before the verdict but did not immediately respond to requests for comment following the court’s decision.

The former Arsenal midfielder is facing allegations of rape and sexual assault in Britain, allegations he has consistently denied.

While the United States granted Partey a visa to enter the country for the World Cup, Canadian immigration authorities maintained that under Canadian law, a foreign national can be deemed inadmissible even without a conviction in another jurisdiction.

“When there are reasonable grounds to believe an act that would trigger inadmissibility has been committed by an applicant, they can be deemed inadmissible to Canada,” a spokesperson for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada told Reuters.

The visa refusal has generated widespread reaction among Ghanaian football supporters both in Ghana and within Canada’s sizeable Ghanaian community.

Speaking to Reuters earlier this week, Akua Mensah, a 45-year-old Canadian of Ghanaian heritage, described the Canadian government’s decision as unfortunate, reflecting the frustration felt by many supporters who had hoped to see one of the Black Stars’ most experienced players in action at the tournament.

Partey’s absence is a significant blow for Ghana as they prepare for their showdown with Panama, with the experienced midfielder expected to miss the match unless there is an unexpected change in his immigration status.

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