Croatian expert baffled by England's satisfaction after Ghana draw

England's performance against Ghana in their second World Cup group stage match left Croatian football expert Tomislav Ivković perplexed. The two teams played to a goalless draw, a result that saw England players appearing content, a reaction Ivković found unusual.

"I've never seen England, after a draw with Ghana, be as happy and satisfied as if they had won the match. That seems a bit strange to me," Ivković commented on HRT's "Americana" program. He contrasted this with the typical demeanor of Croatian players after a draw when they are considered nominal favorites.

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I've never seen England, after a draw with Ghana, be as happy and satisfied as if they had won the match. That seems a bit strange to me. Our players have never looked like that after a draw where you are nominally the favorite.

Despite the draw, both England and Ghana now have four points, placing significant pressure on Croatia and Panama, who are yet to earn any points. Croatia faces a must-win situation against Panama in their upcoming match to avoid early elimination from the tournament. A victory would then set up a decisive final group game against Ghana.

Ivković acknowledged that while the result might seem surprising, Ghana's defensive performance was exceptional. The match itself was characterized by England's dominance in possession but a lack of clear chances, with the first half seeing no shots on target. A late chance for England in the 86th minute, where Harry Kane missed the target from close range, highlighted their struggles to break down Ghana's resolute defense.

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Ghana played a phenomenal defensive game.