England vs Ghana, International Friendly
· International FriendlyAbout
England are hosting Ghana
at Wembley, , , starting on
. The match is a part of the International Friendly.
Match Timeline
- 0': The England team has been leaked into the Twittersphere and is as follows: Hart; Johnson, Jagielka, Cahill, Baines; Milner, Wilshere, Barry; Young, Carroll, Downing.
- 0': So it would appear that England will stick with the 4-3-3 formation, if not the personnel, that worked so well against Wales.
- 0': Can't wait unitl kick-off? Then read Tom Adams' lovingly prepared preview of tonight's match: England v Ghana
- 0': Steven Appiah said it was disrespectful for England to rest their big stars against Ghana, but on the flip side it is great chance to run the rule over the next generation.
- 0': Tonight is a big night for Liverpool's Andy Carroll, who impressed in his last run out against France but has not scored in 319 minutes of football.
- 0': The players are in the tunnel, with skipper Gareth Barry about to lead out the side... he wasn't even in the England team against Wales.
- 0': The players are out on the pitch now and the anthems are about to start.
- 0': All suitably uplifting? and now for the football.
- 1': England get the game underway, kicking from left to right and wearing their normal white shirts and blue shorts.
- 1': Johnson gets forward down the right and leaves Asamoah on the seat of his pants. The Liverpool defender then fluffs his cross.
- 2': Downing is tackled form behind by Addy. Young over-hits the freekick. Poor delivery from England so far.
- 3': An England corner is half cleared. Wilshere waits for the ball to drop on the edge of the box but scuffs his shot straight into the arms of Kingson.
- 4': Ghana are playing a very physical game - particularly for a friendly.
- 6': Muntari chips the ball over the defence for Adiyiah to rush onto. He's beaten the offside trap but Hart rushes out of his goal to make a great save.
- 7': A wake-up call for England that.
- 8': Downing on the break for England. He beats his man down the right but his cross is cut out in the centre of defence.
- 9': Baines and Milner combine with some one-touch football to set up a chance for Cole from the edge of the box. The Villa forward shoots over the bar.
- 10': Wilshere makes a great pass to beat Adiyiah and set Downing racing through on goal. He strikes his shot into the side netting from a tight-ish angle.
- 11': It's end to end stuff at Wembley. A great game so far.
- 12': Cahill brings the ball out from the back and a lovely through-ball is just about cut out by Mensah.
- 13': Downing breaks down the right, he looks up to cross but rolls the ball along the edge of the box for Cole instead. Cole's shot is curling into the top corner but Kingson makes a great save.
- 14': Ghana clear the resulting corner.
- 15': Asamoah is brought down on the left of the box and Ghana have a freekick in a dangerous position....
- 16': ...Muntari takes it but smashes his shot way over the bar.
- 17': Barry calms things down in midfield.
- 18': England build slowly and then Wilshere clips the ball down the line for Johnson to chase. His cross is poor and is blocked at the near post.
- 19': The 21,000 Ghana fans are by far the more vocal at Wembley.
- 20': Hart hoofs the ball down the pitch for Carroll to head. The Liverpool striker does just that but he has nobody up in support.
- 21': Adiyiah seems to be playing in every positon on the pitch for Ghana. He wins the ball back in defence, plays a few passes in midfield and then races into the box for a return pass that never comes.
- 22': Gyan picks up the ball in the centre circle, takes a couple of steps and then shoots from a long, long way out. His effort is on target but easy for Hart to catch.
- 23': Milner beats the offside trap and cuts the ball back across the face of goal. Young must score... but he hits the bar from five-yards out!
- 24': That was big let off for Ghana! Young tried to score with the outside of his right boot from five-yards.
- 25': Ghana have a freekick on the right of the England box. In the same position as last time, Munatri takes it again...
- 26': ..This time Muntari lofts the ball to the back post. Adiyiah pokes a shot at goal and Hart stretches to make an amazing save to turn the ball wide.
- 27': Breathless stuff at Wembley.
- 28': We're right down the other end again now as Muntari fouls Wilshere to give away a freekick 30-yards out...
- 29': ...Downing shoots with his left foot. The ball dips but not quickly enough and it drops onto the roof of the net.
- 30': Hart collects the ball from a backpass and gives the ball away to Asamoah. The forward shoots from a tight angle on the right and Hart saves. Very sloppy from England.
- 31': Cahill and Baines are happy to keep the ball at the back to take the sting out of the game.
- 32': Mensah breaks up an England attack. Gyan races towards the box and chips a pass towards Asamoah, but Cahill has read the danger and clears the ball.
- 34': Ghana keep possession.
- 35': A flowing 30 pass move eventually comes to an end when Jagielka steps out of the back four for England.
- 36': Baines gives the ball away with a stupid pass and then fouls Vorsah trying to get it back. That could have been a red card in a competitve game. He doesn't even get booked.
- 37': Both players went into the tackle with studs showing and both are now back on their feet.
- 38': Barry chips a lovely pass over right-back Pantsil for Young to chase. The Villa man gets to the ball but can then do nothing with it.
- 39': As soon as Ghana do anything positive a great cheer/scream goes up at Wembley.
- 40': Baines with some silky skills to get himself out of trouble on the half-way line.
- 41':
GOAL Downing flicks the ball off to Carroll, who smashes it into the back of the net. - 42': Young made the telling pass to Downing and Carroll powered onto Downing's flick (or was it a miscontrol) to smash an unstoppable shot into the far corner from an angle.
- 43': Carroll hadn't really had a kick until then, but it was great finish. Ghana must keep fighting now.
- 44': Ghana are eager to get back into it but time is running out before the break.
- 45': The ref blows for half-time.
- 0': HT: Well it's a great game at Wembley and England lead 1-0, thanks to Andy Carroll's goal.
- 0': HT: Fabio Capello's side just about deserve the lead but they will be in no doubt that Ghana will come out fighting again in the second-hlaf.
- 0':
Ghana fans bring some colour to Wembley. - 0': HT: Andy Carroll is the 20th player to score for England under Fabio Capello.
- 46': We are back underway and there are a few changes to bring you.
- 46':
For England, Johnson has gone off and Lescott is on. - 47': The other subs will have to wait a minute as Young has just curled a dipping shot over the bar from a Wilshere pass.
- 47':
Annan goes off for Ghana and on comes Boateng. - 47':
Opare comes on and Addy goes off for Ghana. - 48': Munatri tackles Downing from behind and the Villa man looks like he rolled his ankle. He is in a bit of pain but will carry on.
- 49':
The final sub from earlier is that Vorsah has gone off and has been replaced by Jonathan Mensah... who will play alongside John Mensah. - 50': Back to the action and the tackles are still flying in as Ghana try to get back into this game.
- 51': Lescott has seen a lot of the ball at the back since coming on. He breaks up another attack by stepping in front of his man to steal possession.
- 52': Baines is sold short and Ghana have the ball. Gyan wins a freekick off Lescott.
- 53': The crowd seem a bit more subdued in this second-half.
- 54': Well they did until Badu decided to take on the entire England team, only to be thwarted by a last ditch tackle from Cahill.
- 55': Gyan draws a foul from Lescott just outside the box, on the right. Muntari will take it...
- 56': ...England struggle to get the ball clear and Pantsil has a shot deflected over the bar.
- 57':
Ghana make a change. Ayew comes on for Muntari. - 58':
England make a change, Carroll goes off and is replaced by Defoe. - 59': Milner shoots from out wide and Kingson makes a good save to palm the ball past the post.
- 60':
Ayew gets booked for a late tackle on Cahill. - 61': Cahill mopped up at the back and was about to clear when he was hacked down.
- 62': Baines chases down Kingson and forces the keeper to concede a throw deep in his own half.
- 63': Baines is currently playing in his socks as he was caught half-way through changing his boots.
- 64': Kingson gives away a cheap corner. Cahill meets the corner with his head but his effort goes wide.
- 65': Baines has his boots on now.
- 66': Badu chips the ball into the box but a swarming England defence smother any danger.
- 67': Mensah picks off a through pass meant for Young. Good defending.
- 68': Gyan is clean through on the right. He has Asamoah free in the middle but he blasts a shot into the side netting. What a chance wasted.
- 69':
England make a change, Wilshere goes off and Jarvis comes on for his debut. - 70':
Ghana make a change, Adiyiah, who has run all over the place, is replaced by Tagoe. - 71': England are playing in a 4-4-2 now with Young and Defoe up front.
- 72': Jarvis gets and early touch but is stopped by a tackle from Mensah.
- 73':
Milner is booked for bringing down Gyan by scraping his studs down his calf. Ghana have a free kick within shooting range. - 74': With Muntari off the pitch it looks like Boateng will take it....
- 75': ...Gyan finally takes it after a whole lot of moaning and complaining to the referee about this and that but hits his shot well over the bar.
- 76': Ghana were feverish over that freekick, they are desperate to get something out of this game.
- 77': Young looks to play in Defoe but the pass is a bit too strong and the striker fails to control it as a break beckons.
- 78': Pantsil crosses to Gyan but the ball is behind the striker. He twists to get his head to the ball but his effort goes wide.
- 79': Jagielka has been injured in a tackle with Ayew and needs some treatment. It's a chance to take a breather.
- 80':
England make a change, Young goes off and is replaced by Welbeck... who gets booed by the Ghana fans because he could have played for them, although he was born in England. - 81': Barry attempts an overhead kick. But he's no Rooney and the effort goes wide.
- 82': Hart is sold short by a backpass. Gyan charges in to block the keepers' clearence and does so but the ball bounces off him and goes wide.
- 83':
Ghana make a change. Asamoah goes off and on comes Inkoom. - 84': Baines races down the left flank and crosses for Welbeck, who sticks out a long leg but can't beat Kingson to the ball.
- 85': Gyan wins a freekick off Lescott on the right of the England box. Baines heads clear.
- 86': Tagoe brings the ball down on the edge of the box but he used his hand and England have a chance to run down the clock.
- 87': Jarvis looks up for somebody to pass to. Welback makes a run and wins a corner deep in the Ghana half.
- 88': Jarvis takes a boot in the chest and England have freekick on the right flank, deep in Ghana's half.
- 89': Milner clips the ball into the box. Pantsil heads clear with two England players waiting to pounce.
- 90':
GOAL Gyan twists and turns and shoots into the bottom left-hand corner. - 91': Some great skill on the edge of the box by Gyan fooled two England players and as he turned to face goal he simply slotted the ball past Joe Hart. Great finish.
- 92': Both teams are still looking for a winner....
- 93': ...But the final whistle blows and ref brings a great game of football to an end.
- 0': FT: Ghana fought to the very last and got what they deserved. It's hard to beleive this was just a friendly it felt like a game at the World Cup finals.
- 0': FT England's young side played extremely well under great pressure and at times it seemed like an away game due to the noise from the Ghana fans. If only England could play the Black Stars every week.
- 0': FT: This was probably the most enjoyable game England have been involved in for a long, long time. And a 1-1 draw was also a just result.
Statistics
GHA |
ENG![]() |
|
|---|---|---|
| 20 | Fouls | 17 |
| 2 | Yellow Cards | 1 |
| 0 | Red Cards | 0 |
| 3 | Offsides | 2 |
| 3 | Corner Kicks | 7 |
| 3 | Saves | 3 |
| 39.7 | Possession | 60.3 |
| 13 | SHOTS | 16 |
| 4 | ON GOAL | 4 |
| 0.3 | On Target % | 0.3 |
| 0 | Penalty Goals | 0 |
| 0 | Penalty Kicks Taken | 0 |
| 256 | Accurate Passes | 415 |
| 319 | Passes | 484 |
| 0.8 | Pass Completion % | 0.9 |
| 5 | Accurate Crosses | 6 |
| 16 | Crosses | 24 |
| 0.3 | Cross % | 0.3 |
| 43 | Long Balls | 56 |
| 28 | Accurate Long Balls | 39 |
| 0.7 | Long Balls % | 0.7 |
| 2 | Blocked Shots | 3 |
| 7 | Effective Tackles | 6 |
| 10 | Tackles | 13 |
| 0.7 | Tackle % | 0.5 |
| 0 | Interceptions | 0 |
| 11 | Effective Clearances | 7 |
| 18 | Clearances | 13 |
Game Information
Competition: International Friendly
Venue: Wembley
Location: ,
Attendance: 80,102
Venue: Wembley
Location: ,
Attendance: 80,102
Line-Ups
England (4-3-3)
| No. | Name |
|---|---|
| 1 | Joe Hart (GK) |
| 6 | Phil Jagielka |
| 5 | Gary Cahill |
| 3 | Leighton Baines |
| 2 | Glen Johnson |
| 4 | Gareth Barry |
| 8 | Jack Wilshere |
| 7 | James Milner |
| 10 | Ashley Young |
| 9 | Andy Carroll |
| 11 | Stewart Downing |
Ghana (4-1-4-1)
| No. | Name |
|---|---|
| 22 | Richard Kingson (GK) |
| 5 | John Mensah |
| 15 | Isaac Vorsah |
| 17 | Lee Addy |
| 4 | John Pantsil |
| 10 | Kwadwo Asamoah |
| 8 | Emmanuel Badu |
| 6 | Anthony Annan |
| 11 | Sulley Muntari |
| 18 | Dominic Adiyiah |
| 3 | Asamoah Gyan |
Men's International Friendly News
Alanna Kennedy thriving in midfield role for Matildas
With four goals to her name already, ESPN's The Far Post laud Alanna Kennedy's move into the midfield and how her goalscoring is helping the Matildas.
'Chronically underrated' Matilda shines in opener
Clare Wheeler was one of the Matildas' standouts against the Philippines with ESPN's The Far Post heaping praise on the versatile midfielder.
Mary Fowler was back like she never left
Despite her limited preparation, ESPN The Far Post was impressed by Mary Fowler's cameo in the Matildas' 1-0 win over the Philippines at the Women's Asian Cup.
Sources: Mexico, Iceland game still on amid cartel violence
Mexico plans to proceed with its friendly match scheduled against Iceland on Wednesday at the Corregidora Stadium in Queretaro amid unrest and violence in the country, sources told ESPN.
Mary Fowler headlines the Matildas Asian Cup squad
Marissa Lordanic runs the rule over all the big inclusions, and omissions, from the Matildas Asian Cup squad.
GHA