The England team has failed to win 2 consecutive opening matches in recent major tournaments. In the previous 3 campaigns, they all drew in the 2nd match after the opening victory. Those were a 1-1 draw with Denmark (EURO 2024), a 0-0 draw with the USA (World Cup 2022) and a 0-0 draw with Scotland (EURO 2020).
Before flying from Kansas to Boston to play the match against Ghana, captain Harry Kane told his teammates to find a way to erase this bad habit. But once again, the "Three Lions" drew and this time they were also disappointed like previous tournaments.
English fans witnessing their home team playing in the rain in Boston have reimagined previous tournaments. A familiar weak face, players deadlocked, unable to create pressure against a lower-rated opponent. The sad thing is that the "Three Lions" fans are very confident after the 4-2 victory over Croatia on the opening day of the 2026 World Cup. They seemed to fall from heaven to earth.
One of the reasons why England could not overcome Ghana is because they somewhat inaccurately assessed the opponent's physical foundation. "Black Stars" Ghana did not need to play too flowerily, they focused on one-on-one competition, deploying a 4-5-1 formation to destroy the opponent's midfield. On a day of exhaustion and facing an opponent who was too difficult, England was powerless to find a way into the opponent's net.
The reasonable space between the striker and full-back in wing overlaps is also a weakness in the "Three Lions"' operation in this match. On the left flank, Djed Spence and Anthony Gordon often play very close to each other. Reece James and Noni Madueke on the right wing have better distance but do not create the necessary pressure. This is a pressing issue for Thomas Tuchel because these factors, when chosen, all expect to bring continuous pressure at high speed. Finally, against Ghana, everything seems harmless.
Thomas Tuchel always said that Group L at the 2026 World Cup including England, Croatia, Ghana and Panama is not an easy game. This is what the German coach said before the tournament and reality is proving that. If this statement is made after the draw with Ghana, it could be the excuse of the former Chelsea captain.
Drawing Ghana is not a crisis in Group L with the England team because just winning in the last match against Panama, the "Three Lions" will advance with the top spot in the group. However, in a short tournament with a maximum number of only 8, any slip-up in the next rounds will mean being eliminated. Are Tuchel and his students sure that the performance like the match against Ghana will not be repeated again?
English fans are not too disappointed when the right to decide the top spot is still within reach. They only see an old scenario repeated in tournaments where the "Three Lions" cannot win the championship. This generation of Harry Kane, after the 2026 World Cup, will no longer be in the best form. If this year fails again, who knows when football will return home when it has waited for 60 years?
