By Azuka, Betandsured
DALLAS, June 24 England’s World Cup campaign suffered a dose of the bizarre as Harry Kane fell under the spell of a Ghanaian witch doctor, producing a subdued display in a goalless draw that left the Three Lions still searching for knockout stage confirmation.
The Bayern Munich striker, who arrived at the tournament in the form of his life after a prolific season, was a peripheral figure throughout the contest. He registered just 19 touches in 90 minutes, lost possession on five of those and managed only one shot on target from three attempts. It was a performance that bore little resemblance to the striker who has dominated domestic and international football over the past year.
The origins of Kane’s flat display were traced to a pre match intervention by a local witch doctor, who had reportedly placed a curse on the England captain. While Kane emerged unscathed physically, his influence on the game was conspicuously absent.
Jude Bellingham, who was named Player of the Match, was himself unconvinced by the award. “I didn’t deserve the Man of the Match award,” he said. “In my view, it should have gone to a Ghana player.”
The draw means England must now avoid defeat against Panama in their final group fixture to secure progress to the last 32. Thomas Tuchel’s side had opened their campaign with a vibrant 4-2 victory over Croatia, raising hopes of a deep run. Against Ghana, however, they lacked fluency, creativity and cutting edge.
Whether the witch doctor’s influence lingers beyond this fixture remains to be seen. What is certain is that England will need a far more authoritative display from their captain if they are to fulfil their potential at this tournament. The spell, for now, remains unbroken.
