Before a ball was kicked in Boston, Djed Spence refused to shake Thomas Partey’s hand during the pre-match handshakes – a moment that set the tone for a night of frustration for England. Spence, starting his first game of the World Cup after being brought into the XI by Thomas Tuchel, then lasted only 66 minutes before being replaced by Nico O’Reilly as the Three Lions were held to a goalless draw by Ghana, ranked 65th in the world.
Tuchel’s side had arrived in Massachusetts buoyed by a 4-2 opening win over Croatia in Dallas, but struggled to build on it. Ghana defended their penalty area with gusto and posed a counter-attacking threat, leaving England looking frustrated towards the end of the first half. Jude Bellingham was involved in a flare-up with Ghana players as the teams headed back down the tunnel.
“England were held to a frustrating 0-0 draw by Ghana after Harry Kane missed a late chance and Djed Spence refused to shake Thomas Partey's hand.”
The tension had been building before the match. Tuchel was caught on camera repeatedly shouting “wake up” at Spence during a training session, an incident former England captain Wayne Rooney believed was deliberate. “I think that was intended,” Rooney said on the BBC. “Very rarely do you see the manager coaching the team in that open session. That was a message sent to the media and to the fans, but also to his players.”
Spence, however, was unbothered. “It’s normal,” he told talkSPORT. “He’s a great manager. He wants the best from his players. He demands high standards and for this tournament, we need to be ready, we need to be on it. Every session needs to be of the highest quality.”
Despite the manager’s demands, England could not find a breakthrough. Harry Kane had a golden chance at the death but sent a presentable effort over the crossbar. The miss summed up a frustrating night that saw England fail to build on their opening win.
There was also a fresh injury worry after the match: Declan Rice was spotted limping as he left the field, a concern for Tuchel ahead of Saturday’s group game against Panama in New Jersey. England will need to rediscover their rhythm quickly if they are to avoid slipping further in a group that suddenly looks less straightforward.