England player ratings vs Ghana: 5/10s flop in World Cup as struggling star may lose spot

All of England’s player ratings versus Ghana in the World Cup as Thomas Tuchel’s Three Lions drew 0-0 with their Group L rivals at the Boston Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts

England were frustrated by a very well organised Ghana side as they played out a dull 0-0 stalemate in their second match of the World Cup.

The Three Lions’ thrilling 4-2 victory against Croatia in the opening game left fans wondering whether Thomas Tuchel’s boys could be among the great entertainers this tournament. But this was a great big bore as the first half passed by without England registering a single shot on target.

Things didn’t get any better in the second half, with the sweltering heat in Boston seemingly only adding to England’s irritation and lethargic approach to much of the clash. Substitute Bukayo Saka finally tested Black Cats’ goalkeeper Benjamin Asare late on, before Nico O’Reilly struck the crossbar with a header and Harry Kane inexplicably smashed the ball high over the bar.

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England have all but qualified for the knockout stage, yet for many fans, this will have felt like a bump back down to earth after the giddy excitement of last week. Here’s how the players rated.

England starting XI

Jordan Pickford

Mostly untested as Ghana posed little threat in attack. Very fortunate when Adu fluffed a break and he was somehow awarded a foul after clattering into the forward. 5.

Djed Spence

Replaced by Nico O’Reilly.

Marc Guehi

Stepped in for John Stones and was solid, though they likely missed additional build-up play. 7.

Ezri Konsa

Maintained a tight defence and has clearly become Tuchel’s first-choice centre back. 7.

Reece James

Performed adequately to keep Antoine Semenyo at bay and limit his opportunities. 6.

Elliot Anderson

One of England’s standout performers due to his superior ball retention and use. Replaced by Morgan Rogers. 7.

Declan Rice

Booked. Started brightly but found space limited. Subdued by his usual standards. 6.

Noni Madueke

Found good positions for crosses – but squandered them with poor deliveries. Disappointing. Replaced by Bukayo Saka. 6.

Jude Bellingham

Displayed tireless energy, tracking back and perhaps even trying to do too much. Replaced by Eberechi Eze. 7.

Anthony Gordon

Very poor. Contributed little in attack, lax defensively and may struggle to retain his place. 5.

Harry Kane

Struggled to make an impact and dropped too deep. Missed a big chance late on. A letdown. 5.

Substitutes

Bukayo Saka, Nico O’Reilly, Eberechi Eze, Morgan Rogers