England laboured to a lacklustre goalless draw in opposition to Ghana tonight with Thomas Tuchel unable to discover a option to break down Carlos Queiroz’s defensive gameplan.
There was no repeat of the swashbuckling win over Croatia last week because the vastly skilled Queiroz arrange in a inflexible 4-5-1 that stifled England and prevented the Three Lions’ attacking gamers from creating something significant.
Ghana goalkeeper Benjamin Asare didn’t need to make a save of notice till late on regardless of Tuchel bringing on a raft of attacking gamers to inject some penetration into his aspect.
That enabled Ghana the odd alternative on the break and England have been fortunate to flee with 11 minutes to go as Prince Adu burst clear solely to be thwarted by a mix of Ezri Konsa and Jordan Pickford. Konsa can even contemplate himself lucky the officers didn’t deem his sort out to be reckless as he acquired not one of the ball and loads of the person.
England captain Harry Kane wasted England’s greatest likelihood seven minutes later, lashing excessive over the bar from six yards after Nico O’Reilly’s header had come again off the bar.
Tuchel fails check as England held
Tuchel was introduced in with a repute for tactical flexibility and sport administration, but neither have been on present as England’s strategy remained largely the identical all through a sport as dismal because the Boston climate.
England had 78.8% possession however did little or no with it with Kane nameless, Jude Bellingham a peripheral determine and new Barcelona man Anthony Gordon having a stunning evening on the left wing.
The second half was barely brighter than the primary, though that was not saying a lot after a gap 45 minutes through which England huffed and puffed however barely supplied any attacking menace.
Declan Rice had two half-chances, the primary a 30-yard free-kick that fizzed over the bar and the second a header from a Noni Madueke cross that drifted harmlessly over.
Kane noticed one other effort bundled clear because the half drew to an in depth and with Ghana, regardless of the most effective efforts of the tireless Jordan Ayew, fairly completely happy to take a seat again the sport meandered to the break.
England enhance but it surely’s too little, too late
The primary half hour of the second interval adopted the same sample, England having all of the ball however missing inspiration.
Madueke noticed a deflected shot headed clear after which curled one other effort over the bar.
Asare saved a routine effort from Kane and substitute Bukayo Saka nodded a Madueke cross over.
A raft of modifications that noticed the likes of Saka, Morgan Rogers and Marcus Rashford come on had belatedly sparked England into life, though that did depart them uncovered on the different finish.
Saka pressured Asare to make his first good save of the evening with 5 minutes to go, diving to his proper to maintain out a curling shot.
O’Reilly and Kane each got here shut – fairly how the Bayern Munich aim machine missed the rebound after the ball had fallen kindly for him contained in the six-yard field solely he’ll know – and Marc Guehi then had an effort bundled off the road.
The late flurry got here to naught, although, with Ghana hanging on for the purpose they arguably deserved.
