England flat in Ghana draw as Kane, Bellingham and Gordon fail to fire

England's road to the World Cup hit a speed bump on Saturday as the Three Lions laboured to a goalless draw against Ghana in a friendly staged in Boston. What was meant to be a sharpening exercise for Gareth Southgate's squad instead became a worrying display of disjointed football, with several key men far from their best.

Disappointing displays from key men

The night's biggest concern centred on captain Harry Kane, who endured a rare off-day. The Tottenham Hotspur striker looked isolated and frustrated, failing to link play or create meaningful chances. Beside him, Jude Bellingham — the rising star of the midfield — struggled to impose himself, often caught in traffic and unable to dictate the tempo. On the left flank, Anthony Gordon fizzed with intent but his final product let him down, leaving England blunt and predictable.

Ghana, organised and disciplined, denied England space and time on the ball. The Black Stars looked content with a point and nearly stole a winner on the counter, but Jordan Pickford was alert to keep a clean sheet. It was a performance that will worry Southgate ahead of tougher tests.

Where does this leave England?

This stalemate in Boston is not a crisis — friendlies are for experimentation — but it does raise questions about England's depth and fluency. With key players like Bukayo Saka and Phil Foden absent through injury or rest, Southgate needed others to step up. They didn't. The lack of creativity and cutting edge will be a red flag heading into competitive fixtures.

For Kane, Bellingham and Gordon, it's a reminder that even young talents have off nights. For Southgate, it's a prompt to consider alternative setups if his stars are not firing. The World Cup is still months away, and there's time to tweak. But this draw in Massachusetts will not feature in the highlights reel.