England have the chance to qualify for the World Cup round of 32 on Tuesday when they face Ghana in Boston.
Any lingering doubts about Thomas Tuchel’s squad selection were partially allayed by a rousing second half against Croatia last Wednesday as the Three Lions overcame the disappointment of twice squandering the lead to win 4-2 and set the early pace in Group L.
Next up is a Ghana side that also have three points with Caleb Yirenkyi’s 95th-minute goal enough to see them past Panama.
There is a confident feel about England and, although that is not new given their recent strong performances at major tournaments, the perception is Tuchel’s competition-winning nous gives this team a better chance than ever before.
As always, keeping key players fit will be vital as the World Cup progresses and, although England are set to be without Bukayo Saka once again, his Arsenal team-mate Declan Rice says he is “raring to go” after coming off with 20 minutes to go against Croatia.
“I’m ready and fit, raring to go,” he told ITV Sport. “I was feeling a little bit of neural pain in my hamstring, which I was managing from after Christmas with Arsenal. Obviously, not a lot of people would have known that. It was all behind-the-scenes stuff but it was a smart decision.
“In the end, that last 20 minutes is probably where you pick up the most, and it’s where you play a 70‑minute match. But that last 20 is where you really feel your body going for it. And I think it was a smart decision because the last few days I felt really, really good.”
The heat of a US summer was widely discussed as a potential problem prior to the tournament but, having played in the air-conditioned dome in Dallas in their opener, the temperature in Boston is likely to be around the 22C mark and not a major factor.
“The heat’s going to dictate [our playing style] in spells but the manager’s been really clear with us and [he believes] with this squad that we have the strength and power to outrun and outplay teams,” Rice said.
London-born winger Antoine Semenyo will be Ghana’s dangerman and the Manchester City star is relishing the prospect of facing the country of his birth.
“It’s gonna be different for sure,” Semenyo said. “I’m looking forward to the challenge. Everyone in the Ghana team is looking forward to it, and we want to prove a point.
“We know it’s going to be a tough game. We’re not gonna get ahead of ourselves. We know we want to win that game, but we know it’s not gonna be easy either.”
A win for either side would see them through to the last 32.
Team news for England v Ghana
Tuchel will be reluctant to change a winning side but he may make a couple of alterations with Marc Guehi tipped to replace City team-mate John Stones at centre-half while Marcus Rashford could come in for Anthony Gordon, who was quiet against Croatia.
Ghana midfielder Thomas Partey missed the Panama game after being denied entry to Canada. The 33-year-old, formerly of Arsenal and who played for Villarreal last season, has been charged with multiple counts of rape and one of sexual assault and will go on trial in London next year. Partey, who denies all the charges, has been allowed to enter the US and is set to start against England.
Ghana goalkeeper Lawrence Ati Zigi has trained and should be available.
