England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford has acknowledged that the Three Lions went into their clash with Ghana anticipating a difficult encounter, after both sides settled for a goalless draw in their Group L meeting on Tuesday night at the Boston Stadium.
Ghana produced a disciplined and organised defensive performance to frustrate England, who controlled large spells of possession but failed to convert their dominance into goals.
The result saw the Three Lions record 79 per cent possession — the highest ever by a team that failed to score in a World Cup match in six decades.
Despite their territorial superiority, England were repeatedly denied by a resolute Ghana back line that held firm throughout the contest and limited clear-cut chances.
“We knew it was going to be tough against Ghana. We knew they would play counter-attacking football,” Everton goalkeeper told the BBC.
“They were really hard to break down. We had our chances, and we had to be wary of counterattacks, but that’s football, and we needed to get the first goal,” he added.
The draw leaves both nations level on four points at the top of Group L heading into the final round of group fixtures.
England will next face Panama, while Ghana prepare for a decisive showdown with Croatia, with qualification for the knockout stage still wide open.
