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England eye early knockout qualification against Ghana
23rd June, 2026 03:45 PM
England will look to secure a place in the FIFA World Cup 2026 knockout rounds when they face Ghana in their second Group L match on Tuesday evening, June 23, 2026, at Boston Stadium. Both sides opened their campaigns with victories and know another three points would significantly boost their chances of progressing.
The Three Lions impressively began their tournament with a 4-2 victory over Croatia, while Ghana edged past Panama 1-0 thanks to a dramatic late winner.
England building momentum
Heading into the tournament as one of the leading contenders for the title, England strengthened their credentials with an attacking display against Croatia. Thomas Tuchel’s side matched a notable World Cup scoreline from their history, recording their first 4-2 win at the tournament since the 1966 final.
Captain Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham and Marcus Rashford were all on target as England overcame defensive lapses to start the competition with maximum points. The result also ended a lengthy run of struggles against highly-ranked international opposition, giving the squad a valuable confidence boost.
England dominated offensively in their opening fixture, creating numerous chances and setting a new World Cup record for shots taken from inside the opposition penalty area. Another victory against Ghana would guarantee progression to the last 32 and extend their winning streak to four matches across all competitions.
Tuchel’s men have also been prolific in front of goal recently and could score at least three goals in three consecutive matches for only the second time during the German coach’s tenure.
Ghana seeking another surprise
Ghana enter the contest in high spirits after their hard-fought triumph over Panama. The Black Stars struggled to break down their opponents for much of the match before 20-year-old Caleb Yirenkyi struck deep into stoppage time to secure all three points.
That victory moved Ghana closer to reaching the knockout stages of a World Cup for the first time since their memorable run to the quarter-finals in 2010. It also marked the first time since the 2010 tournament in South Africa that they had won their opening World Cup match.
Coach Carlos Queiroz will be encouraged by the result, especially as it ended a four-game winless streak. However, Ghana’s attack has lacked consistency in recent months, having scored more than once in a match only once since October.
The Black Stars have also struggled defensively in recent outings, conceding heavily before arriving at the World Cup, though they managed to keep Panama scoreless in their opening match.
Interestingly, the only previous meeting between England and Ghana ended in a 1-1 draw in a friendly played in 2011, with Asamoah Gyan cancelling out Andy Carroll’s opener.
Team news
England have received encouraging updates regarding Bukayo Saka, Marcus Rashford and Declan Rice after all three participated in training following minor injury concerns. The trio are expected to be available for selection.
Saka and Rashford combined effectively from the bench against Croatia, but Tuchel may again opt to start Noni Madueke on the right wing.
Defensively, changes could be considered after England conceded twice in their opening match. Marc Guehi is pushing for a starting berth and could replace Ezri Konsa in central defence.
For Ghana, much attention has surrounded midfielder Thomas Partey. Although he was unavailable for the Panama match due to travel-related complications, he is expected to be eligible for Tuesday’s encounter and could return directly to the starting lineup.
Goalkeeper Lawrence Ati Zigi remains a doubt after being withdrawn at halftime during the win over Panama. While he has been seen training, reports suggest he may not recover in time, meaning Benjamin Asare is likely to continue between the posts.
Possible lineups
England: Jordan Pickford; Reece James, John Stones, Marc Guehi, O’Reilly; Elliot Anderson, Declan Rice; Noni Madueke, Jude Bellingham, Anthony Gordon; Harry Kane.
Ghana: Benjamin Asare; Senaya, Adjetey, Opoku, Minseh; Caleb Yirenkyi, Thomas Partey; Fatawu Issahaku, Kamaldeen Sulemana, Antoine Semenyo; Jordan Ayew.
