England's start was nothing short of perfect. In the first match of the group stage, which came to avenge the loss to Croatia in the semifinals of the Russian World Cup eight years ago, England won an overwhelming 4-2, led by Harry Kane's multiple goals. Captain Kane scored his 10th goal in the World Cup, including a penalty kick, tying with Gary Lineker, and the team's offensive power seemed to have reached its peak as youngsters such as Jude Bellingham and Marcus Rashford added to the scoring. The record of 10 to 22 shots and 5 to 11 effective shots proved that England was in complete control of the game. However, this brilliant victory may have been a poison that caused the team to let down their guard in the match against Ghana in the second game.

On the other hand, Ghana proved its worth by producing a 'theatrical drama' in the first match against Panama in the group stage. Despite the major negative news of key midfielder Thomas Partey being withdrawn from the team due to a visa refusal due to judicial issues, Ghana won 1-0 with Caleb Irenke's winning goal in the 5th minute of added time in the second half. Despite losing both possession and shots against Panama, coach Carlos Queiroz's tactical flexibility and substitution cards gave the team three points. This victory was more than just one win, it led to strong confidence among the Ghanaian players that they could overcome the power gap with organization and concentration.

The match between the two teams in the second game was a game in which the contrast between the spear and the shield was clearly revealed. England continuously pounded on Ghana's goal with 18 shots, but Ghana built a tight defensive wall under the clear tactic of 'counterattacking after a penalty' throughout the 90 minutes. In particular, England suffered from bad luck, with a decisive header hitting the post, and had to accept a 0-0 draw. Ghana coach Carlos Queiroz cheered at the end of the game as if he had achieved victory, which clearly shows how valuable one point was to them. England had to painfully feel that they lacked the detailed destructive power to break through Ghana's hand-to-hand defense.

As a result of this second game, the situation in Group L fell into a fog where it was impossible to foresee the future. England remains at the top of the group with 4 points, but their momentum in the first game has waned, leaving question marks about their performance. Ghana also secured 4 points, occupying an advantageous position in advancing to the round of 32, and proved their defense ability to not collapse even against strong teams. Meanwhile, Croatia and Panama in the same group are also expected to fight fiercely for the first point, so they cannot relax until the end of the group stage. The simple truth that name value alone cannot guarantee victory on the World Cup stage has been proven once again.