England are set to face Ghana in a World Cup group stage match on Tuesday at Boston Stadium, with pre-match pleasantries under scrutiny due to the presence of Ghana’s star midfielder, Thomas Partey. The 33-year-old, who serves as Ghana’s vice-captain, is facing trial over rape and sexual assault charges, which previously led to his denial of entry into Canada for Ghana’s opening World Cup fixture.

Partey had not declared any outstanding charges when applying for his Canadian visa. However, he has since been granted a visa by the United States, making him available for the crucial encounter against England. His inclusion in Ghana’s 26-man World Cup squad had already drawn criticism, but manager Carlos Queiroz, formerly an assistant at Manchester United, has staunchly defended the player.

Partey’s availability and Ghana’s defence

Ghana commenced their World Cup campaign with a narrow 1-0 victory over Panama, secured by Caleb Yirenkyi’s 95th-minute goal. Partey’s availability for the upcoming match against England is a significant boost for the African side, who will conclude their group stage against Croatia on June 27.

Addressing the controversy surrounding Partey’s call-up, Queiroz emphasised the legal principle of innocence until proven guilty. “It’s a simple and basic answer,” Queiroz stated. “As far as I know, in England, in Portugal, whatever, until the court makes a decision, that the presumption of innocence is on the side of all court cases. But today, and this is not only about Thomas, very unfortunately the way the social media and the media sometimes act with full and total impunity, we are condemned even before we have the opportunity to defend.”

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England’s stance on pre-match custom

Pre-match handshakes are a customary tradition in top-level football, including World Cup fixtures. The Football Association (FA) was reportedly considering England’s position on whether players would shake Partey’s hand. However, The Telegraph reported that the FA has “no fixed position on Partey or his involvement against England” and is “not expected to issue players with any guidance over shaking hands.” Despite this, England players are expected to proceed with the traditional handshake.

Several members of the England squad, including Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka, previously played alongside Partey during his time at Arsenal before his move to Spanish side Villarreal. England began their World Cup journey impressively, securing a 4-2 victory over Croatia, with goals from Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham, and Marcus Rashford. They are scheduled to face Panama in their final group stage match on June 27.

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