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Thomas Tuchel experiences an England tradition – a difficult second game at a major tournament

There were times when this looked like the goalless draw with the USA at the 2022 World Cup, or the misshapen stalemate with Denmark in Frankfurt two years ago. For Thomas Tuchel, the worry was that the more passive patterns from the Gareth Southgate era had not quite been driven out of this team yet. The German was watching an England tradition, the difficult second tournament game, and as the hour approached it was possible to see Tuchel becoming increasingly agitated on the touchline.

England were predictable and turgid for long spells against a determined Ghana side who earned their point with an exhibition of purest Queiroz-ball. There was no caustic half-time interview from Anthony Barry, no stunning second-half surge. Instead, after the freewheeling attacking play that saw off Croatia last week, this felt familiar. This felt anxious. In the cramped football and sideways passing, this felt more England. They created nothing until a late flurry of chances, and when it was over it was tempting to wonder if the reaction from the crowd would have been more negative if it had been Southgate rather than Tuchel standing in the technical area at Boston Stadium.