England must beware Ghana threat in bid to avoid huge World Cup shock | OneFootball

Three Lions are heavy favourites to book last-32 spot, but cannot afford to overlook 2010 quarter-finalists led by Antoine Semenyo

Expectation rose considerably after England stormed to victory over Croatia last week. But while many now believe the Three Lions finishing top of Group L is a near formality, Ghana have other ideas.

Otto Addo was sacked as head coach just 72 days before the start of the tournament, yet a wily World Cup fox will be Thomas Tuchel’s opposite number in the dugout in Foxborough: former Portugal and Iran boss Carlos Queiroz, who was Sir Alex Ferguson’s long-time assistant at Manchester United.

Queiroz has steadied the ship and is eyeing a venture into waters not broached since 2010, when Ghana reached the last eight and were a Luis Suarez handball and an Asamoah Gyan penalty miss away from becoming Africa’s first World Cup semi-finalists.

They are England’s lowest-ranked opponents of the group stage (73rd when this World Cup began). Yet they are also the only opponents to have picked up points so far, level on three with England following a stoppage-time winner against Panama. They are to be handled with care.

It is remarkable, really, that this is the first competitive meeting between England and Ghana, so major a player are they within African football and so intertwined are the two nations.

Star man: Manchester City winger Antoine Semenyo is Ghana’s biggest attacking threat

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Ghana’s squad includes players born in Lambeth, Milton Keynes and - in the form of Antoine Semenyo - Chelsea. England’s squad includes two players who were eligible to instead play for Ghana: Manchester United’s Kobbie Mainoo and Bayer Leverkusen’s Jarell Quansah.

Ghana have changed their formation and style of play under Queiroz, becoming predictably more cautious and settling into something close to a low block, particularly against top teams.

“They burst into high-speed attacks on the counter,” Tuchel said. “It is a different approach from our last match, but that is the beauty of it.”

The change of coach has been a challenge for anticipating Ghana’s build-up, but Tuchel’s reign has been all about England thinking about their own threats more than focusing on how to diminish their opponents’.

“We’ve watched two of their last games,” said Declan Rice. “We know what we’re going to get.”

Manchester City’s Semenyo is Ghana’s star player, used in a variety of positions by Queiroz and a goal threat at the very highest level. And their squad is littered with familiar names besides.

Leicester’s Abdul Fatawu and Jordan Ayew, Coventry’s Brandon Thomas-Asante, ex-Southampton winger Kamaldeen Sulemana, ex-Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey and Athletic Club’s Inaki Williams.

“I’ve played against a lot of the Ghana team,” Rice said. “And from the clips, I know what they’re going to bring. I already know what’s coming.”

It will be a huge occasion for Ghanaians everywhere and a chance at springing one of the great group-stage surprises at this World Cup.

“England have very good players, which makes them one of the best teams in the world,” says Richard Kingson, the 93-cap former Ghana goalkeeper who was their last line of defence on that spirited run to the 2010 quarter-finals in South Africa.

We have the strength and power to cause England problems

Former Ghana striker Kwesi Appiah

“It is not going to be an easy game for either team,” he tells Standard Sport. “If England win, it is not big news, but when Ghana win, it will be a headline. Ghana will do everything to beat England to progress to the next round of the competition.”

Former Ghana and Crystal Palace striker Kwesi Appiah was born in Camberwell, yet there is no doubt over who he will be supporting.

Appiah is hoping the 1-1 draw from the Wembley friendly in the two teams’ only previous encounter can provide a blueprint for how Ghana can upset the odds - and England. Ghana’s dramatic late leveller that day came in stoppage time.

“Ghana being back in the World Cup makes every Ghanaian beyond proud,” he tells Standard Sport. “We, as one of the biggest African footballing nations, should always be aiming to be playing on the biggest stage in world football.

“England is a huge game. I remember being in the stadium at Wembley when Asamoah Gyan scored the equaliser back in 2011. These types of heroics are what we are going to need to see again for us to come out of this game with a positive result.

While England have been warned, Tuchel has a warning of his own for Ghana.

Reminded on Monday just how motivated the Ghanaian players will be, he smiled gleefully and countered: “Bad news for Ghana: we will also be very motivated.”