England's 2026 World Cup campaign came back down to earth with a bang as they were held to a 0-0 draw against Ghana.
Carlos Queiroz's side looked to frustrate the Three Lions from the very first minute and succeeded in doing so until the very last. Chances were few and far between for England, and when they did come by it was a case of wasteful finishing.
Tuchel was bold enough to make two changes for the game as John Stones dropped out for Marc Guehi and Djed Spence came in for Nico O'Reilly. Both had some good moments here but several of those around them managed to disappoint.
Here's a look at how Tuchel's men performed in the Group L draw.
Manager rating (out of 10)
Thomas Tuchel, 6 -- His changes did little to impact the game but at least he didn't wait too long. A question to raise would be why didn't he lose a midfielder and add an extra attacker when it became clear Ghana were happy to sit in deep? After two games Tuchel should definitely have a better idea of what he wants his team to look like moving forward and changes can be expected in the final group game.
Player ratings (1-10; 10 = best, 5 = average)
GK Jordan Pickford, 6 -- Perhaps fortunate when he charged off his line to meet Ghana substitute Prince Kwabena but he didn't have a single save to make all game. He will certainly take the clean sheet after conceding twice against Croatia. Distribution still needs a lot of work though.
RB Reece James, 5 -- Teamed up well early on with Noni Madueke but a huge concern is that one of the most impressive parts of his game, using the ball at his feet, was absent here. James lacked quality and conviction in his passing, often slowing play down.
CB Ezri Konsa, 5 -- Looked more assured than he did against Croatia but what was that wild lunge about? A huge let off for the Villa man that he didn't concede a penalty and will need to cut that sort of action out.
CB Marc Guehi, 6 -- A considerable improvement over John Stones, the man he replaced, and looks to have the position secure after this performance. It spoke volumes that Konsa also looked more comfortable alongside the Manchester City man.
LB Djed Spence, 6 -- He didn't have the one vs. one battle with Antoine Semenyo as had been expected but Spence still covered his flank well. Made a great tackle on Marvin Senaya early on in the second half as he showed his defensive awareness.
CM Declan Rice, 6 -- Not at his usual high standards and a bit of complacency crept into his game. An early yellow card was out of character and showed that Rice didn't have his regular focus. Looked to influence in the first half and did so at times but drifted away in the second half. No real quality from set-pieces either.
CM Jude Bellingham, 5 -- After his heroics agaisnt Croatia this was certainly a step backwards from Bellingham who couldn't influence the midfield how he would've liked. Questions still remain over what is his best position in this England team. Could've found himself in trouble at half-time as he got into a confrontation with Ghana coaching staff.
CM Elliot Anderson, 7 -- Played with a zip and purpose from the first minute. His passing was impressive and he became the first port of call as England looked to keep the tempo up as they moved into dangerous areas via his passing range.
LW Anthony Gordon, 4 -- An extremely disappointing performance and it is hard to see how Gordon keeps his place in the team. It's now two games on the bounce he's been anonymous, struggling to impact from wide areas and also lacking in terms of his defensive output.
RW Noni Madueke, 5 -- Another that struggled in wide areas and another one that should be looking over his shoulder. Seems to lack the ability to make the right decision at the right moment and was often wasteful. One good run in the first half simply isn't enough of a return.
ST Harry Kane, 5 -- A disappointing night for the captain who had his chance to win the game but blew his effort over the bar. Admittedly England struggled to connect with the striker but Kane found it hard to influence and even lacked his usual playmaking qualities when dropping deep.
Substitutes (players introduced after 70 minutes = no rating)
LB Nico O'Reilly (Gordon, 65), 6 -- Movement in attacking areas much better than that of Gordon and was unlucky not to score after rising highest in the box late on, but his header cannoned off the bar.
AM Eberechi Eze (Anderson, 74) -- Gave the ball away cheaply in his short time on the field and offered nothing in terms of helping find a breakthrough.
AM Morgan Rogers (Bellingham, 80) -- Looked bright after coming on and another that will be pushing for a start after this disappointing England attacking display.
