Have you tried Bracketology?
My current picks have France over Spain in one semifinal and Argentina over England in the other. I see France taking it this time.
Panama XI
A stunner in the lineup announcement: Captain Anibal Godoy is not in the XI. I haven’t seen anything about an injury. All told, five of the predicted starters in our team guide are not starting today.
The starting lineup that will face Ghana is: Mosquera; Andrade, Cordoba, Ramos, Blackman; Rodriguez, Martinez, Harvey, Murillo; Waterman, Barcenas (capt.)
While the bulk of Ghana’s roster competes in major European nations, the Panamanian team’s employers are more eclectic.
Four players are based in Mexico. Other countries in the Americas have two each – Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador, the USA, Venezuela and Panama itself. Other players are in Austria, Azerbaijan, England, Honduras, Israel, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Slovakia, Turkey and Uruguay.
Updated
Ghana XI (note injury and visa issue)
Visa issues have hit many teams’ traveling parties as they head toward the USA, but Ghana have a curious case of a player who is welcome in the USA but not in Canada. Midfielder Thomas Partey, a longtime Arsenal player now with Villarreal, was not allowed to cross the border. Court documents show Partey had claimed he was not facing criminal charges in any country, but he is awaiting trial in London over rape and sexual assault allegations.
Mohammed Kudus and Mohammed Salisu are not on the Ghanaian roster due to injury.
The starting lineup that will face Panama is: Ati-Zigi; Mensah, Adjetey, Opoku, Senaya; Yirenkyi, Owusu; Semenyo, Sulemana, Nuamah; Ayew (capt.).
London-born Antoine Semenyo comes into the Cup after a torrid campaign in the Premier League. Jordan Ayew has 34 goals in 120 appearances but has been on a downturn along with his club, Leicester City.
Lawrence Ati-Zigi starts in goal, denying us the chance to see a player from an Irish club – Joseph Anang of St. Patrick’s Athletic.
Three players in the starting XI play for Auxerre – midfielder Elisha Owusu and outside backs Gideon Mensah and Marvin Senaya. A fourth, Ernest Nuamah, also plays in France with Lyon.
While you wait …
You may be interested to learn that there’s another match in progress at the moment, and it’s quite a sight.
Preamble
You’ll need to excuse US supporters if they shudder a bit at seeing this matchup. Both of these teams have inflicted devastating losses on the US team over the years.
Ghana eliminated the USA in two consecutive World Cups – 2006 and 2010 – before the USA exacted revenge in 2014.
Panama have been the more recent nemesis, featuring heavily in the documentary series US Against the World: Four Years with the Men’s National Soccer Team. The Central American side have beaten the USA in four of the last five meaningful matches between the countries – a World Cup qualifier in 2021, a Gold Cup semifinal in 2023, a 2024 Copa America group-stage match, and the 2025 Concacaf Nations League semifinal.
That won’t matter to the home fans here because this game is in Toronto at the smallest venue in this Cup – and that’s after 17,000 temporary seats were added.
On paper, Ghana would have to be the favorite. But ask US fans how it feels to be the favorite against Panama.
Beau will be here shortly. In the meantime, catch up on what you need to know about Ghana and Panama with our team guides.
Ghana’s performance in a warm-up match against Wales in Cardiff gave a sense of what their new coach, Carlos Queiroz, might be up to. The first half was not surprising – a leaky, low block with poorly coordinated pressing that brought back memories of the dysfunctional team Otto Addo had left behind. The second half was markedly different: a well-coordinated mid-block with synchronised pressing and better protection for the full-backs.
Drawn with England, Croatia and Panama in Group L, the Black Stars have enough talent to make an impact in North America. Their best showing so far at a World Cup? The quarter-finals in 2010.
La Marea Roja arrive in full voice. After their historic World Cup debut at Russia 2018, they mean business this time round, and want to progress from the group. With Michael Murillo leading from the back, the midfielder Adalberto Carrasquilla providing a creative spark and the captain, Aníbal Godoy, still the heart and soul of the team, Panama are ready to write a new chapter.
The realistic aim is to make it out of the group. Thomas Christiansen will want to prove they have the discipline to avoid a repeat of the 2018 6-1 thrashing by England, who are group opponents once more. A spot in the last 16 is the dream. The dressing room believes it is possible.
