Ghana shut down Bellingham’s England
An insipid draw leaves Queiroz’s Ghana on the brink of qualification. It was a game to forget for Bellingham; England need more.
And Queiroz did it again. The points were shared at Gillette Stadium after a flavourless match in which neither Bellingham, Gordon nor Kane could provide the spark England needed. Tepid and wasteful in dangerous areas, England missed the chance to take top spot in the group. If Croatia win, everything will come down to the final group match against Panama.
A grey, overcast and rainy Boston welcomed Tuchel’s men with open arms. As against Croatia, they effectively played at home thanks to the large contingent of supporters who had travelled to the United States. The home of the New England Patriots suddenly became Wembley, England’s great footballing temple across the pond, as more than 67,000 fans filled the stands with the familiar colours of burgundy red and white.
Tuchel made changes only in defence. The lack of solidity and vulnerability shown against Croatia had not pleased him. Against a more physical Ghanaian side, Marc Guéhi and Djed Spence replaced the heavily criticised Stones and O’Reilly. The move worked perfectly. England never looked troubled, and Guéhi increasingly appears to be the natural leader of the back line. No joke.
Tuchel’s revolution was extinguished by African resilience in the form of an impenetrable wall. Dominance without goals amounts to nothing, and the ghosts of the past returned to haunt England, much to the German’s frustration on the touchline. His shouts and instructions fell on deaf ears. Bellingham, the hero against Croatia, looked disconnected. Anthony Gordon, as he had against Croatia, worked tirelessly in defence but offered little in attack. Harry Kane, fulfilling the dream of playing on the field of his NFL team, barely received a ball in dangerous areas.
The best chance of the first half almost went unnoticed, not because it lacked danger, but because of when it arrived. Shortly after the quarter-hour mark, Declan Rice unleashed a missile from the edge of the box that came within centimetres of clipping Asare’s crossbar. Ghana sat deep, with Thomas directing the press and organising his teammates like a field general. England’s attacks came relentlessly but without purpose. They managed six shots before the break, none of them on target. Even so, the supporters never stopped singing, recognising the effort despite the lack of end product.
After the restart, Queiroz took the match exactly where he wanted it. The Lion was asleep. Nothing happened. The game drifted at Ghana’s pace. They defended comfortably, content with a draw that would leave qualification within touching distance, while remaining alert to opportunities on the counter. They came close through Ayew on a couple of occasions, but Guéhi first and Konsa later prevented a far more painful outcome.
Pragmatism and mysticism reigned. Some in the stands wondered whether the evil eye of African shamans, complete with voodoo and rituals supposedly performed on the outskirts of Boston, had somehow taken effect on Tuchel’s players. Bellingham, who continued to wander aimlessly across the Gillette Stadium turf, was replaced by Morgan Rogers midway through the second half, though not before receiving a standing ovation from the crowd. It was not his game in terms of intensity or influence, but expectations for him at this World Cup remain enormous.
England looked cursed. Nothing seemed to come off, like a child learning to walk. Then came the coup de grâce, a double chance that perfectly encapsulated England’s frustration. Reece James delivered a cross to the far post and O’Reilly’s header crashed against the woodwork. The rebound fell kindly to Kane. In his comfort zone, inside the six-yard box and directly in front of goal, the striker reacted a fraction too late and sent the ball over the bar. He collapsed to the turf, inconsolable. It was the perfect image of an England side left defeated, frustrated and fearful of repeating the mistakes of the past.
Related stories
Panama at the 2026 World Cup
Croatia at the 2026 World Cup
Get closer to the game! Whether you like your soccer of the European variety or that on this side of the pond, our AS USA app has it all. Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more. Plus, stay updated on NFL, NBA and all other big sports stories as well as the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.
And there’s more: check out our TikTok and Instagram reels for bite-sized visual takes on all the biggest soccer news and insights.
- 1 Jordan Pickford
- 25 Diop Spence (65')
- 6 Marc Guehi
- 2 Ezri Konsa Ngoyo
- 24 Reece James
- 10 Bellingham (72')-
- 20 Nonso Madueke (82')
- 8 Elliot Anderson (73')
- 4 Declan Rice
- 18 Anthony Gordon (64')-
- 9 Kane -
- Substitutes
- 22 Ivan Toney
- 23 James Trafford
- 14 Henderson
- 3 Nico O'Reilly (65')
- 5 John Stones
- 13 Dean Henderson
- 26 Jarell Quansah
- 15 Dan Burn
- 21 Eberechi Eze (73')
- 7 Bukayo Saka (64')
- 12 Trevoh Chalobah
- 16 Kobbie Mainoo
- 17 Morgan Rogers (72')
- 19 Ollie Watkins
- 11 Rashford (82')
- 16 Benjamin Asare
- 18 Jerome Opoku
- 4 Jonas Adjetey
- 26 Marvin Senaya (86')
- 14 Gideon Mensah
- 8 Kwasi Sibo
- 11 Antoine Semenyo -
- 19 Williams (65')-
- 3 Caleb Yirenkyi
- 5 Thomas
- 9 J. Ayew (66')-
- Substitutes
- 25 Prince Adu (94')
- 13 Christopher Bonsu Baah
- 10 Brandon Thomas-Asante
- 20 Augustine Boakye
- 15 Elisha Owusu
- 21 Kojo Peprah Oppong (86')SC
- 1 Lawrence Ati-Zigi
- 12 Joseph Anang
- 23 Luckassen
- 22 Kamal Deen Sulemana
- 2 Alidu Seidu
- 7 Abdul Fatawu (65')
- 24 Ernest Nuamah
- 6 Mumin
- 17 Rahman (94')SC
Substitutions
Bukayo Saka (64', Anthony Gordon), Nico O'Reilly (65', Djed Spence), Abdul Fatawu (65', Iñaki Williams), Prince Adu (66', Jordan Ayew), Morgan Rogers (72', Jude Bellingham), Eberechi Eze (73', Elliot Anderson), Marcus Rashford (82', Noni Madueke), Kojo Peprah Oppong (86', Marvin Senaya), Abdul Rahman Baba (94', Prince Adu)
Cards
Referee: Saíd Martínez
VAR Referee: Armando Villarreal, Erick Yair Miranda Galindo
Declan Rice (40',Yellow), Williams (59',Yellow)
Complete your personal details to comment