England produced a dominant performance against Ghana, but were left frustrated as they failed to convert it into victory in Boston.
The Three Lions were unable to build on their opening 4-2 victory over Croatia, with the Black Stars holding them to a goalless draw.
Thomas Tuchel’s side have effectively secured their place in the knockout stages, with four points on the board from their first two Group L games.
However, the initial optimism has made way for a couple of causes for concern at this tournament.
England vs Ghana analysis:
Frustrated Three Lions endure traditional group-stage wobble
England were lauded for their positive attacking second-half display against Croatia. But they were unable to replicate that in Boston.
The Three Lions dominated large periods of the contest, holding 78.8% possession and attempted 633 passes to Ghana’s 173. England also attempted 30 crosses and 19 shots, to theri opponents’ five and two, respectively.
However, just three of those shots hit the target, as Tuchel’s side severely lacked a cutting edge.
We shouldn’t be too surprised, though. This is the fourth successive major tournament in which England have drawn their second group match. And it’s a third goalless draw from their last eight group games.
On a brighter note, the decision to recall Marc Guehi to the heart of the defence made England more sound at the back. And they only faced one shot on target all game.
Bellingham flatters to deceive on 50th cap
Bellingham, who does not turn 23 until next week, became the youngest player to reach half a century of appearances for England. But he was unable to mark the occasion with a game-winning contribution.
The Real Madrid midfielder generally cut a frustrated figure, as he struggled to impose himself on the contest in a similar manner to the way he did against Croatia.
Bellingham had a team-high six touches in the opposing box, but failed to register a shot on target or complete a successful dribble.
He also won just two of the nine duels he contested, before he was replaced by Morgan Rogers in the 73rd minute.
Kane quiet as he passes Beckham
Kane is quickly totting up the milestones at international level. Today, he surpassed David Beckham to become England’s third-most capped player outright by making his 116th appearance.
Much like Bellingham, though, he was unable to mark said milestone with a telling contribution for the Three Lions.
Throughout the 90 minutes, he registered a team-low 19 touches, with just three of those in the opposing penalty area.
The skipper also recorded just one shot on target, while his best chance that fell late on saw him wildly blaze over from just eight yards out.
Of course, it’s still very early days, and this is definitely not the time for panic. But the lack of consistency in the performances of key players is a slight cause for concern if England do plan to go all the way to glory in 2026.
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