Barry admits Ghana defended 10 metres deeper than England prepared for at AFCON

England’s assistant manager Anthony Barry admitted at half-time of their Africa Cup of Nations Group L opener that Ghana had confounded the Three Lions’ preparation, defending significantly deeper than scouting had suggested and leaving England with 79% possession and no shots on target.

Barry was candid about the tactical surprise posed by Carlos Queiroz’s side. “They defend deep… probably even deeper than we expected, about 10 to 12 metres deeper than the last two opponents they played against,” he said. “They have this incredible speed which allows them to cover those spaces quickly, so it’s been difficult to break them down.”

Queiroz’s reputation in African football is well established. The Portuguese coach guided Egypt to the 2022 AFCON final, conceding just two goals across the entire tournament, and his Ghana side have replicated that same disciplined, low-block structure against England.

Despite the frustration in possession, Barry struck a measured tone on England’s defensive discipline. “The headline for us is probably patience,” he said. “Ghana are a team that possess exceptional counter-attacking options, and we’ve negated that so far.”

The contrast with England’s previous Group L fixture against Croatia — a far more open affair — was stark. Queiroz’s gameplan effectively neutralised England’s attacking intent, turning the match into a test of creativity and composure rather than outright quality.

England entered the break needing a significant tactical adjustment if they were to break down a Ghana backline that had offered them no clear route to goal in the opening 45 minutes.