Former Nigeria captain William Troost-Ekong said he wants Ghana to earn a point against England in Tuesday’s World Cup Group L match in Foxborough, according to ESPN. Troost-Ekong is working as a pundit for SuperSport at the tournament after announcing his international retirement following Nigeria’s failure to qualify.
Speaking at a media roundtable hosted by SuperSport, the Al Ahli Doha centre-back praised the broader interests of African teams at the World Cup, saying it is important for the continent that its nations perform well, according to ESPN. He acknowledged the rivalry between Nigeria and Ghana but added there is also considerable mutual respect among players.
Troost-Ekong commended Ghana’s 1-0 win over Panama, calling the performance resilient and highlighting the impact of second-half substitutions Brandon Thomas-Asante and Abdul Fatawu. “Those players made a really big difference,” he told ESPN, saying their introduction had given England “something to think about,” according to the broadcaster.
The defender, who developed through the Fulham and Tottenham Hotspur academies and featured for Watford in the Premier League, has also played in the Netherlands, Norway, Belgium, Türkiye, Italy, Greece, Saudi Arabia and now Qatar, according to ESPN. He said England show defensive vulnerabilities and cited their 4-2 victory over Croatia in the opener — a match in which Harry Kane scored a first-half brace and Jude Bellingham and Marcus Rashford added second-half goals to secure the win.
Troost-Ekong acknowledged one unpredictability ahead of the England match: the potential involvement of Thomas Partey. Partey missed Ghana’s opener in Toronto after being denied entry into Canada and faces charges of rape and sexual assault in the United Kingdom; he denies wrongdoing, according to ESPN. On the balance of factors, Troost-Ekong said he would predict a draw because he could see both teams scoring, according to ESPN.
