Former Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong has tipped Ghana to secure a draw against England in their second game of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on June 23, Soccernet.ng reports.
The second round of games at the World Cup has started, and most teams are looking to win to qualify or put themselves in a strong position to reach the round of 32.
Teams like Turkey, Tunisia, and Haiti have already crashed out after losing their first two games of the tournament.
Kenan Yildiz of Turkiye and Julio Enciso of Paraguay. Copyright: ImagoxAmeenxAhmedx
On the other hand, Mexico, the USA, and Germany have sealed their spots in the knockout rounds.
One of the games of particular interest to African fans is the clash between Ghana and England.
The June 23 fixture will be played at Gillette Stadium, USA, and considering how both teams performed in their opening matches, it promises to be an exciting encounter.
Historically, both teams have met just once, which resulted in a 1-1 draw in March 2011.
What William Troost-Ekong Said About the England vs Ghana World Cup Fixture
Former Super Eagles cap William Troost-Ekong (photo credit: Imago)
Troost-Ekong, who just retired from international football last year, played against both England and Ghana in the course of his time with the Super Eagles, so he has a good grasp of what it means to face them.
Ahead of the fixture on Tuesday, he noted that Ghana will draw confidence from their win against Panama in their first game and, as a result, will give the Three Lions a tough fight.
England Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane. Copyright: ImagoxMarkxPainx
”I would love Ghana to go and do well. I think the beauty of the World Cup is that all the teams—even when we’ve been at the World Cup before—want to see the other African teams do well. I think it’s very important for the continent,” Troost-Ekong told ESPN.
”Besides the rivalry where we play against each other, often there’s also a lot of love, because we know the players well. Maybe from my perspective now, having retired from the national team, it’s easier to say that.
”I was very happy with their performance against Panama [in a 1-0 win]. Leading up to the game against England, there are a lot of positives. I thought they looked very resilient in that game.
”I think the substitutions in the second half—especially Brandon Thomas-Asante and Abdul Fatawu—made a really big difference. I think they’ve given [England] something to think about.”
Ghana’s Caleb Yirenkyi, Christopher Bonsu Baah, and Marvin Senaya. Copyright: ImagoxSebastianxBachx
For both countries, a win would book a spot in the round of 32. A draw would also seal their advancement, though they would not be assured of finishing at the summit of the group.
In terms of quality, the Three Lions are head and shoulders above the Black Stars. But in the end, 90 minutes on the pitch will determine the result.
