Match Summary · England · FIFA World Cup 2026 · Football · International · FIFA World Cup · England · Ghana · Declan Rice · Lawrence Ati Zigi
| Metric | England | Ghana |
|---|---|---|
| Possession | 78% | 22% |
| Shots | 19 | 2 |
| Shots on target | 4 | 1 |
| Shots off target | 8 | 0 |
| Corners | 9 | 2 |
| Fouls | 14 | 24 |
| Yellow cards | 1 | 1 |
| Red cards | 0 | 0 |
| Offsides | 2 | 2 |
| Goalkeeper saves | 0 | 3 |
" You cant score four in every game, but youd expect to break them down in the end," Merson said, and England’s stats told that story - only three of those 18 attempts tested the goalkeeper.
The highlights were almost all in one direction. England won nine corners to Ghana’s two, and still couldn’t find the decisive touch. Thomas Tuchel’s changes came in a wave: Bukayo Saka replaced Anthony Gordon on 64'57'', Nico O'Reilly came on for Djed Spence on 65'06'', then Morgan Rogers and Eberechi Eze followed on 72'52'' and 72'55''.
Ghana’s resistance was blunt but effective: 42 clearances and eight blocks, plus just one shot and zero chances created. "Thats something for Tuchel to look at," Merson added, before concluding, "We need to have trust in the manager."
Next up, England face Panama, while Ghana meet Croatia.