England vs. Ghana: Two reasons why Thomas Tuchel's Three Lions could fall short at World Cup 2026 - and one for optimism

England were held to a frustrating 0-0 draw by Group L rivals Ghana astatine Boston Stadium connected Tuesday, struggling to make chances passim the World Cup 2026 contest.

Thomas Tuchel's Three Lions were up against a Black Stars broadside that sat successful a heavy artifact and tasked them with breaking down a stalwart defence.

While England boasted 78.8% possession - the astir that a squad has ever had successful a World Cup crippled without scoring - they failed to earnestly trial the Ghana goalkeeper, and did not adjacent nutrient a changeable connected people successful the archetypal half.

The lone large accidental of the lucifer fell to Harry Kane precocious on, but the country's grounds goalscorer fired implicit from adjacent range.

Here, aft England's goalless gully with Ghana, Sports Mole takes a look astatine 2 reasons wherefore the Three Lions could autumn abbreviated astatine World Cup 2026 - and wherefore they should beryllium optimistic.

Thomas Tuchel's England struggled to interruption down Ghana block

The defining diagnostic of Tuesday's crippled was England's inability to make chances against a heavy block.

Much was made of Tuchel's arguable squad enactment up of the World Cup, with galore pointing to the information that helium near the likes of Adam Wharton, Cole Palmer and Trent Alexander-Arnold retired of his 26-man group.

The Three Lions performed powerfully successful their opener against Croatia - a squad with a much expansive playstyle than Ghana - utilizing their physicality and gait to get the amended of their opponents connected the counter.

However, erstwhile faced with a Black Stars XI that denied them abstraction to exploit, England faltered without an adept passer successful the side.

Tuchel's men should advancement to the circular of 32 with the 4 points they person already picked up, but considering the disparity successful prime betwixt the teams, Panama volition apt mimic Ghana's tactics successful their last group-stage game.

It remains to beryllium seen whether England's struggles connected Tuesday were a one-off, oregon if they are a superior weakness that tin beryllium taken vantage of by opponents aboriginal successful the tournament, and this weekend's showdown volition beryllium accidental to trial that idea.

Can England trust connected Harry Kane successful captious moments astatine World Cup 2026?

Kane is the talisman up apical for England, having scored a staggering 81 times successful 116 matches for his country, and coming into World Cup 2026 connected the backmost of a 61-goal play for Bayern Munich, expectations are high.

That being said, the 32-year-old hitman missed a gilt-edged accidental to triumph the lucifer connected Tuesday, blasting his effort implicit the crossbar from conscionable beyond the six-yard container with specified minutes near connected the clock.

It is mean for adjacent the champion strikers to miss casual chances from clip to time, but fixed that Kane besides missed his archetypal punishment effort against Croatia connected matchday one, question marks hover astir his quality to present successful important moments.

Adding to this consciousness of uncertainty is the information that Kane has been astatine the centre of disappointments successful the past, possibly astir famously missing a punishment successful the quarter-finals astatine World Cup 2022, wherever England were beaten 2-1 by France.

Failing to find the backmost of the nett this week had small worldly interaction connected the Three Lions' tournament, but the striker volition beryllium hoping that his signifier of high-pressure misses does not transportation into the knockout stages.

England person been present earlier astatine the World Cup and Euros

For each the interest astir Tuchel's broadside aft Tuesday's draw, the squad person been successful this concern galore times successful caller years and inactive gone connected to bask beardown campaigns.

In each of their past 4 tournaments - Euro 2020, World Cup 2022, Euro 2024 and present World Cup 2026 - England person drawn their 2nd group-stage clash.

Realistically, 4 points should beryllium capable for the Three Lions to suffice for the circular of 32, whether that is arsenic 1 of Group L's apical 2 oregon arsenic 1 of the champion third-placed nations.

England are 1 of the favourites to triumph World Cup 2026, and if they tin extremity their 60-year hold to get their hands connected the trophy, past a stalemate against Ghana volition spell down arsenic a footnote successful the country's sporting history.