England vs Ghana

England and Ghana have not shared a pitch since a 2018 friendly at Wembley, a forgettable 0-0 that told you nothing about either team's true capabilities. Their only competitive meeting — the 2010 World Cup quarter-final — was a different era entirely, but the memory of that result gives Ghana belief. The tactical script writes itself: England will control the ball, Ghana will press in triggered bursts and look to exploit the space behind England's high line with Mohammed Kudus's movement and Jordan Ayew's willingness to run channels. Partey's duel with Rice is the contest within the contest — two Premier League midfielders who understand each other's games intimately, both capable of single-foot switches that unlock defences.

England's defensive record in qualifying was formidable, with six clean sheets in eight qualifying matches, but Ghana's pressing intensity is a different challenge to anything they faced in a group containing Malta, North Macedonia, and Ukraine. If Bellingham can find space between Partey and the Ghanaian back four, England's attacking trident should create enough chances. Ghana, though, will believe that one moment of Kudus brilliance or one set-piece scramble can flip the match. Expect England to win, but not without genuine discomfort.