England: Tuchel injects fluidity and attacking freedom

England opened their tournament with a hard-fought but impressive 4-2 victory over Croatia. Under Thomas Tuchel, the Three Lions showed resilience after allowing their opponents to level twice in the first half, but they responded after the break with a surge in intensity, overwhelming Dominik Livaković’s goal. More importantly, England demonstrated tactical flexibility — they can patiently control possession, a clear improvement from the Southgate era, while also switching rapidly into devastating transitions when fresh attacking options are introduced.

Looking ahead to the clash with Ghana, further changes in the starting XI are expected. Bukayo Saka made a strong impact off the bench against Croatia with an assist and is likely to replace Noni Madueke in the starting lineup. In defense, Marc Guéhi is in contention to come in for Ezri Konsa, while Marcus Rashford is again expected to remain an impact option, ready to exploit tiring defenses late in the game.

Ghana: late win secured, but questions remain

Ghana began their campaign with a victory over Panama, but the performance left mixed impressions. The match was scrappy, filled with technical mistakes and limited clear chances, with the decisive goal only arriving in stoppage time through Caleb Yirenkyi. At times, Panama even looked more threatening, suggesting that Carlos Queiroz is still in the process of building a fully stable system.

There is some positive news for Ghana ahead of facing England. Thomas Partey is expected to return to the starting lineup, adding control in midfield, while Lawrence Ati-Zigi’s availability remains uncertain but improving as he resumes training. In attack, Brandon Thomas-Asante could earn a starting role after impressing off the bench against Panama, where he contributed an assist.

Probable lineups

England: Pickford; Guéhi, Stones, O’Riley; James, Rice, Anderson; Gordon, Bellingham, Saka; Kane

Ghana: Asare; Adjetey, Opoku, Senaya, Mensah; Yirenkyi, Partey; Semenyo, Sulemana, Nuamah; Thomas-Asante

Match facts and head-to-head

England have taken no more than six corners in 8 of their last 10 World Cup matches.

England have received no more than one yellow card in each of their last six World Cup matches.

In eight of England’s last ten matches and seven of Ghana’s last ten, only one team has scored.

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