Thomas Tuchel's England were brought back down to earth in Boston on Tuesday night, held to a goalless stalemate by a resolute Ghana side that left Group L wide open.
Before kick-off, Djed Spence refused to shake hands with Thomas Partey, who returned to the Ghana starting lineup. The tension boiled over at half-time, when Jude Bellingham was involved in a flare-up with Ghana players as the teams headed down the tunnel. Ghana manager Carlos Queiroz later blamed Bellingham for the X-rated row.
“England draw 0-0 with Ghana in Boston, leaving Group L wide open and Tuchel's side needing a result against DR Congo.”
England, who had swept past Croatia 4-2 in their opening game, struggled to break down a Ghana defence that defended their penalty area with gusto while posing a counter-attacking threat. The hosts grew frustrated, and the first half ended goalless.
But the game's biggest flashpoint came when Ezri Konsa's risky challenge on Prince Kwabena Adu went unpunished. Queiroz was left bemused, saying: "VAR went for a coffee!" England were, in his words, "extremely lucky" not to concede a penalty.
Declan Rice, spotted limping after the match, urged positivity from England fans. "We won't let our heads go down," the Arsenal midfielder insisted, as the draw blew the group open. England now face DR Congo in their final group game needing a result to secure progression to the last 32.
Player ratings told a mixed story: Marc Guehi impressed, but a pair of players were marked 5/10 after badly struggling in the stalemate.
Tuchel reacted to the disappointment, but with third‑placed teams still able to qualify in the expanded 48-team tournament, England's fate remains in their own hands.