England’s second game, against Ghana, felt like a bit of a wash. That game was, more than anything, a defensive masterclass from Carlos Queiroz’s side. The veteran coach even admitted post-match that the whole goal of the game, for him, was to frustrate England.
Bellingham was given the Player of the Match award by FIFA, but admitted that it probably should have gone to one of Ghana’s defenders for their efforts over 90 minutes. In truth, no one played well for England that day. It was attack versus defence, and defence won out.
With that point, England had already qualified for the round of 32 by Saturday’s meeting with Panama, but they needed a win to guarantee they would top the group – and secure a slightly easier path through the knockouts. The first half, however, was a tough watch. Bellingham. for his part, still had his moments, including one particularly satisfying slide tackle to stop a break, and a subsequent scream. Bellingham is an emotional footballer, and it showed there.
In the second half, Bellingham was responsible for both goals. Despite being well-marked at a corner, he stretched a little further, forcing his leg out just enough to reach the ball before the defender and guide it home on the volley. Five minutes later, he made the run beyond Kane that England had been so reluctant to make. From there, he faked one way, then the other before sitting the ball up for Kane, who headed home.
Those moments capped a complete display from England’s No.10.
