Key events
We’ve seen replays of those two incidents involving the substitute Prince Kwabena Adu. The first one looks okay but the second, when Konsa challenged Adu, looks like a foul to me. Had it been given on the field, it wouldn’t have been overturned.
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Ewan Murray
It may seem distinctly Scottish that the creation of football history could come with grumbling over the manner in which that was achieved. On Tuesday afternoon, the movable feast that is the best-third-place table at this World Cup had Scotland second and in a strong position to advance to the knockout phase for the first time. Heavy defeat against Brazil on Wednesday in Miami could damage that position but it remains perfectly feasible that the 1-0 win over Haiti and three points will take Scotland into uncharted territory. Denis Law did not emerge from a tournament group with Scotland. Neither did Kenny Dalglish. The 1974 World Cup team were unbeaten yet still on an early flight home. This has been a weight on the shoulders of Scotland teams for decades.
In a rare departure from sharp analysis, Rory McIlroy stated last week that Scotland had benefited from the expansion of the World Cup by means of qualification. In fact, they topped their section so would have participated regardless of size. What is undeniable, however, is that the path towards the last 32 can be almost laughably simple for some. Victory over Haiti was rightly expected, as was defeat by Morocco and – while not a certainty – so would be another loss to Brazil.
If Scotland stumble through, there will be whooping and cheering regardless of context that it feels sensible to apply. In defence of Steve Clarke and Scotland, they do not make the tournament rules. A group that includes two nations who stand in the world’s top six also constitutes a tough draw. Facing a hugely backed Brazil in the suffocating heat here will be among Clarke’s sternest challenges in management.
“Now that was an England World Cup group game,” writes Eddy Nason. “The last one with the xG and the goals felt so wrong.”
ShareDeclan Rice’s reaction
double quotation markIt’s always difficult when you play against 11 behind the ball. You’ve gotta find solutions. In the last 10 minutes we probably found more than we had all game and we were unlucky not to score.
Look, we stay positive – we keep going, and we still have a great chance to top the group against Panama. [If they win the group they will avoid Cristiano’s Revenge a potential last 32 tie against Portugal.]
You have to give credit to Ghana: 5-4-1 without the ball, very compact, tight spaces to play through. On the other hand, maybe we could do more with the ball. But it’s tough, they’re good players and it was never gonna be an easy game.
Loads of top nations drew their first game. There’s no need to be negative or downbeat. We need to stay positive and that’s what we’ll do.
Next up: Panama v Croatia
“By the standards of a Carlos Queiroz team, the Black Stars are an interesting watch,” faintpraises Kári Tulinius. “The defensive block isn’t static, the Ghanaians moving around and altering their shape in anticipation of what England might do, their shifting patterns making sense once the English players commit to what they’ve threatened to do. It’s not fun, but it’s interesting. Not as interesting as a goal, but a starving man doesn’t complain about the consistency of his porridge.”
ShareFull time: England 0-0 Ghana
That difficult second group game, eh. For the fourth major tournament in a row, England have followed victory in their first game with an underwhelming draw in the second. Send. Them. Home.
There’s no need to get carried away. England often struggle against a low block, and this game will bear little resemblance to the knockout matches England play. Besides, only the most tedious, irredeemably one-eyed Englishman would forget to give Ghana credit for a superb, strikingly callm defensive performance. They had all the earmarks of a Carlos Queiroz side, and might have nicked it in the second half when the substitute Prince Kwabena Adu started running in behind.
Ghana’s keeper Benjamin Asare celebrates after his team’s goalless draw against England. Photograph: Jon Olav Nesvold/Bildbyrån/ShutterstockShare
Updated at 18.19 EDT
90+5 min: Ghana substitution Baba Rahman replaces the earlier substitute Prince Kwabena Adu. No shade on his excellent performance; Ghana just want another defensive resource.
Share90+3 min: Off the line!
A Rice corner is hooked back across by Eze (I think) towards Guehi, whose clever looping header is headed off the line. Not sure who the defender was but he did his job perfectly.
England’s Marc Guehi sends a looping header goalwards. Photograph: Martin Rickett/PAShare
Updated at 18.05 EDT
90 min Six minutes of added time. The game feels more open than at any stage tonight.
89 min O’Reilly was really angry with himself for missing that chance. So many of his goals are the kind you expect from a No9, and that would have been another.
87 min: Ghana substitution Kojo Peprah Oppong replaces the excellent (and presumably shattered) Marvin Senaya.
Updated at 17.57 EDT
86 min: O’Reilly hits the bar!
Ghana can’t out following that Saka shot. James flips an insouciant cross towards O’Reilly, who heads the ball off his shoulder and then onto the crossbar. It rebounds to Kane, who launches it into orbit from seven yards with his left foot.
You’d expect Kane to score but the bounce made it a deceptively awkward chance. The ball was not a James fan.
Nico O’Reilly of England hits the bar with a header. Photograph: Javier García/ShutterstockThe ball comes back and Harry Kane blasts a shot over the crossbar. Photograph: Pilar Olivares/ReutersO’Reilly and Kane rue their missed chances. Photograph: Martin Meissner/APShare
Updated at 18.01 EDT
86 min Saka wriggles infield from the right and whips a tradedmark curler from 20 yards. Asare gets down smartly to his right to beat it away.
83 min: England substitution Marcus Rashford for Noni Madueke.
82 min Owen Linderholm writes in to say the Univision commentary team had the following verdict on the foul by Adu on Pickford in the 68th minute. “Both players arrived at the ball, Adu kicked out and missed the ball and got Pickford. Both went over. Ball went past. Immediate assessment, clear foul by Ghana, move on.”
Updated at 17.54 EDT
80 min There was a defender on the line when Semenyo blocked Adu’s shot, but he was offside because Pickford was out of the game. He came to meet Adu, who was then challenged from the side by the flying Konsa. The ball ran past Pickford, who was unable to change direction, and then Adu manufactured a shot while lying on the ground.
Share79 min: Big chance for Ghana!
Ghana break four on four. Fatawu plays a simple pass in behind, allowing the substitute Adu to charge through on goal. He takes a heavy touch and is potentially fouled by the lunging Konsa. Play continues, Adu has a shot blocked in the six-yard box by Semenyo, who couldn’t get out of the way, and then the flag goes up.
I think the flag was for offside against Semenyo, not Adu, which would mean his chance was a big one.
Updated at 18.18 EDT
77 min Here’s my colleague Beau Dure on that Jordan Pickford business in the 68th minute.
double quotation markWe’re being told on Fox (by one of their best commentator teams) that the play couldn’t be reviewed because it didn’t involve a penalty appeal or a potential red card.
On my referee message board, the word is that they can’t use the same “mistaken identity” excuse for checking things as they did when they switched a yellow card from Tim Ream (wrongly accused of foul) to Miguel Almiron (correctly accused of simulation) because no card was issued.
So if the ref had given a yellow to the Ghanaian player, THEN they could have gone to VAR.
Which … doesn’t make a lot of sense.
I don’t really mind loopholes like that, even if they’re not ideal. I wondered whether it was a potential Dogso red card for Pickford, but I guess that’s not the case from what you’ve said.
74 min Easy to forget, this being an English newspaper, what a draw would mean for Ghana. They haven’t played a World Cup knockout game since their unimaginably painful defeat to Uruguay in the quarter-final of 2010. A point tonight would all but ensure a place in the admittedly inflated knockout stage.
73 min: Double substitution Morgan Rogers and Eberechi Eze replace Jude Bellingham, who had a modest game, and Elliot Anderson.
72 min “Thomas Tuchel’s value won’t be seen until the knockout rounds when England play teams that are on the front foot,” writes Brendan Murphy. “Frankly, I’d be happy for England to just say: ‘Ok, eff it, you don’t want to play we won’t either. Queiroz is a famous pain in the arse. Don’t get worked up, take the point and move on…”
Yeah, in isolation this game is irrelevant to England’s chances of success, but I worry slightly about the impact on the all-important vibe.
71 min Hydration break o’clock.
England manager Thomas Tuchel attempts to chivvy up Jude Bellingham in the hydration break. Photograph: Martin Rickett/PAShare
Updated at 17.40 EDT
70 min I’m surprised we haven’t seen Ivan Toney, who is probably England’s best option against such a deep defence.
England would have loved to have Toney at the back post to meet a brilliant cross from Madueke. Instead it was Saka, who couldn’t quite get on top of the ball and headed over the bar.
69 min Kane swishes a low, left-foot drive from 20 yards that is held by Asare as he falls to his left.
68 min Prince Kwabena Adu, who has just come on, runs onto a through ball that lures Pickford from his box. Pickford misses the ball, then collides with Adu – and the referee gives a free-kick to England.
It’s been cleared by VAR but I’d like to see that again.
Ghana’s Prince Adu collides with England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford. Photograph: Nick Potts/PAShare
Updated at 17.37 EDT
67 min: Ghana substitutions Prince Kwabena Adu and Abdul Fatawu come on for Jordan Ayew and Inaki Williams.
65 min: England substitutions Bukayo Saka and Nico O’Reilly replaces Anthony Gordon and Djed Spence. That’s interesting; I assume Madueke will move to the left. O’Reilly is a much bigger goal threat, especially against a low block, than Spence.
63 min Gordon has improved a lot in the second half. When a free-kick is half cleared, he guides a careful pass across the edge of the area to Madueke, who opens his body and curls over the bar.
62 min That shot from Gordon in the 57th minute was the first on target at either end.
61 min Inaki Williams is booked for a lunging tackle on Gordon, who is starting to stir. Rice takes the free-kick and picks out the unmarked Anderson at the far post; his powerful header is well blocked.
England’s Anthony Gordon looks to be in a bit of pain. Photograph: Brian Snyder/ReutersShare
Updated at 17.35 EDT
59 min “Our wide forwards definitely seem to be the weak links at the moment,” says Fin. “Gordon and Madueke seem way off the level. Saka can help the right but will Rashford get the nod and not just as a finisher?”
I like Madueke. He’s erratic and frustrating, but at his best I think he can ruin any full-back in the world. Okay, most of them. He’s not as good as Saka but he is quicker and more direct, and England really need that in wide areas. Although Gordon’s start to the tournament is a bit of a concern, I think he (or Rashford) will be more threatening against better teams.
57 min England move the ball sharply from left to right, across the edge of the area. Madueke’s deflected shot is headed away in the six-yard box, then Gordon whips a shot straight at the keeper from the edge of the area.
54 min Bellingham takes a tumble in the area after running into Opoku. I don’t think it was a dive, but not was it a foul.
53 min “I missed an Elastica discussion,” writes Beau Dure, “Dang. That was a strong album through and through. FWIW, I thought the second Stone Roses album was great.
“I love hearing the Alan Parsons Project song Sirius as teams take the field. It’s a callback to the arena intro that raised the bar like a Mondo Duplantis of the 1990s.
“I think if I were on an opposing team, I’d race to the changing room out of abject fear even before they got around to introducing Michael Jordan.”
I’m not sure I’d call it a discussion. But it always warms my heart to know that there are football tragics out there who are as cool as me also like Elastica, and Bill Is Dead, and Jetplane by Sorry.
51 min I like Anthony Gordon a lot (sorry, Roy) but he hasn’t been at the races so far, and his defending was really poor just then.
Updated at 17.16 EDT