Need to know
England took on Ghana in the World Cup on Tuesday evening, with Thomas Partey featuring for the African nation after missing their opening game in Canada
Below is a round-up of everything about Thomas Partey around the England vs Ghana match…
- Ghana midfielder Thomas Partey was booed by England fans when his name was read out over the PA system before Tuesday night’s 0-0 draw in the World Cup match between England and Ghana in Boston.
- Most of England’s players shook hands with him before kickoff as expected. However, Tottenham Hotspur full-back Djed Spence chose not to.
- The former Arsenal midfielder is due to stand trial in the UK next year after pleading not guilty to seven charges of rape and one count of sexual assault between 2020 and 2022. Partey was denied entry to Canada for Ghana’s Group L opener against Panama despite an appeal that eventually resulted in a court hearing in Ottawa.
- Speaking from Ghana’s training base at Bryant University in Rhode Island prior to the England match, Partey broke his silence on his visa issues, describing it as “part of football” and something outside of his control. He stated that he felt physically ready, was in good spirits, and that the team had been preparing well to compete.
- On the pitch, England midfielder Declan Rice praised his former Arsenal team-mate’s footballing abilities during a pre-match press conference. He was seen hugging Partey after the full-time whistle on Tuesday.
- Partey played the full 90 minutes for Ghana. Operating in his familiar defensive midfield role, the Villarreal player anchored the Black Stars’ midfield to help secure a crucial clean sheet against the Three Lions
- Despite holding a huge 80 per cent of possession and completing 347 passes compared to Ghana’s 98 in the first half, England struggled to break through Ghana’s incredibly deep defensive line and rigid low block setup.
- Ghana’s strategy revolved around staying compact and disrupting England’s flow with highly physical, tough-tackling play. Key England players like Jude Bellingham, Declan Rice, Reece James, Harry Kane, and Elliot Anderson were repeatedly knocked to the ground. This stop-start nature effectively killed England’s attacking momentum and ground them down over the course of the match.
- England’s lack of creativity was glaring, managing their first shot on target only in the 57th minute. While they picked up the pace slightly toward the end of the match, their best chance came late from an Matt O’Riley header that struck the crossbar, leaving Tuchel with looming questions on how to break down defensively minded teams.
- Among the very few bright spots for England were Noni Madueke and Djed Spence. Madueke provided a rare spark on the wings with his direct dribbling and crosses, while Spence looked lively down the left, contributing a vital recovery run to bail out Anthony Gordon early in the second half.
