Manchester United are keen to bolster their midfield this summer and an unexpected opportunity could be about to present itself

Manchester United’s midfield is their top priority this summer and with the transfer window a little more than a week old, the Reds are already making good strides in that area. Atlanta’s Ederson will be the first new addition to the ranks after United agreed a £35m plus add-ons deal for the Brazil international.

The 26-year-old’s late call-up to the World Cup has halted the progression of the deal. However, there is nothing to concern United fans and Ederson will be joining once his nation’s tournament ends. With one midfielder all but signed, the Reds have continued their hunt elsewhere.

Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson is admired by United but a deal looks set to be too much for the Reds. Manchester City’s rejected offer of £120m was always going to be well over what Ineos would agree to spend.

So the attention turned to West Ham midfielder Mateus Fernandes. The Hammers’ relegation to the Championship has put them in a tricky spot financially. They already declared in their most recent financial results that they would need to sell players in a bid to avoid Financial Fair Play (FFP) sanctions.

Understandably, Fernandes would be keen to remain in the Premier League next season and considering West Ham’s predicament, United will be confident they can eventually agree a deal with the Championship side. However, the Reds are not the only ones keen on the central midfielder.

Tottenham have been credited with interest in the 21-year-old, thus ensuring a move for Fernandes won’t be straightforward. With pressure building to sign Fernandes or risk having to move onto another target, an unexpected opportunity has opened up for the Reds.

According to reports, Real Madrid are now understood to be open to selling Aurelien Tchouameni this summer. It has been a month of change for Los Blancos with Jose Mourinho taking over and appearing to be wasting little time overhauling the squad.

From United’s perspective, this news will be a major shock. It is understood Real had been set on keeping Tchouameni despite him being at the centre of a squad disagreement earlier in the year.

However, were the midfielder to become available, as is claimed, United would be interested in signing him. That is no surprise either when you look at the defensive midfielder’s CV.

He has won the Champions League, La Liga, Club World Cup, Copa del Rey and two UEFA Super Cups while still being just 26. For the most part, the France international has been a key figure during this success.

That kind of experience is highly desirable for the Reds. They do not have a host of players who have been there and done it at the highest level.

Despite this, United’s interest in Fernandes makes the most sense. He is 21, played two full seasons in the Premier League and impressed in both, albeit those clubs were relegated to the Championship.

At the right price, Fernandes offers United a good opportunity to make a profit on his re-sale, should they wish to. Essentially, the midfielder is a ‘plug and play’ signing, who could fill in immediately next season, at an age where his best years are still to come.

On the other hand, Tchouameni is 26 and is in the peak of his career. This makes Real’s stance surprising, considering he featured so regularly for them last season. If a deal is there for the Reds, they would like to get it done though.

He would be a dream addition for United but there’s a long way to go before a deal can be completed. In the meantime, expect the Reds to keep digging away at a move for Fernandes.

Austria manager Ralf Rangnick was full of praise for Lionel Messi after Monday’s 2-0 defeat to Argentina, but he also felt a key refereeing decision played a role in the result.

While acknowledging Argentina’s quality, Rangnick questioned whether the opening goal should have counted.

Speaking after the match, the Austria boss pointed to what he felt was a foul on Xaver Schlager in the build-up.

“For the first goal, I would’ve asked the fourth official to do what he did before the penalty kick; he should have looked, and he would’ve seen what everyone saw: a foul on Xaver Schlager.”

The comments came after referee Amin Omar reviewed an earlier penalty decision involving Messi through VAR, leading Rangnick to question why a similar review was not carried out before Argentina’s opener.

Despite his frustration over the goal, Rangnick acknowledged the difference Messi made once again on the biggest stage.

“We knew he was on a level of his own, and Lionel Messi showed he’s one of the best, or even the best.”

Messi’s brace secured victory for Argentina and moved him clear as the World Cup’s all-time leading goalscorer with 18 goals.

The Austrian coach also admitted his side was at fault for the second goal.

“I think we participated in the second goal, that’s our own fault.”

But he remained convinced that the opening goal deserved a closer review.

For Austria, the result was disappointing but not disastrous. The defeat leaves Rangnick’s side with work to do in their final group-stage match, while the debate over Argentina’s first goal is likely to continue.

As far as the Austria coach is concerned, one decision changed the course of the game.

Michael Kent Jnr is optimistic that Think Giant will ultimately compete in races of greater significance than the one scheduled for him this Saturday at Caulfield, viewing it as a suitable starting point for his Australian campaign.

The imported four-year-old gelding is set to make his debut on Australian soil in the $130,000 benchmark 78 event over 1700 metres.

This outing will mark the Lope De Vega gelding’s first start since achieving a fourth placing in a Group 1 race at Cologne in September last year, and Kent is looking forward to seeing where his Southern Hemisphere career leads.

“He’s lovely, scopey horse who is far from the finished product,” Kent said.

“He’s 16.2 (hands) and all leg and I think he’ll keep filling out over the next 12 months or so.”

“Like all of the imports, we’re not forcing him, we just want to let him come to hand naturally and expect that he’ll get better for the prep and be better next preparation.”

Think Giant was purchased in partnership with OTI for €280,000 (approximately AU$457,000) at The Arc Sale at Arqana in France, following his fourth-place finish behind Sibayan in the Preis Von Europa (2400m).

This performance followed a third placing over 2400m at Listed level in France, which was his second Black Type placing after finishing runner-up over 1600m at Group 3 level in Germany as a two-year-old.

Kent noted that Think Giant required some time to acclimate, but a spell with Steven Pateman at Thirteenth Beach aided his settling process, and he and co-trainer Mick Price have observed a considerable turnaround in recent weeks.

“It’s been the last five weeks really where he’s just got it,” Kent stated.

“Now he walks out of the barn and he walks home, whereas he used to jig-jog everywhere.”

“He’s a real stayer, but he’s going the right way finally.”

Think Giant’s preparations have included a couple of Cranbourne jumpout wins, one over 1200m and another over 1400m, which Kent considered encouraging.

“We haven’t tuned him up for a first up win or anything like that, we’ve just brought him along gently and let everything happen naturally for him,” he commented.

“I don’t think the trials he won at Cranbourne were particularly strong, but he stayed on well on wet ground.”

“He’ll get back and then run on, but I think he’ll be looking for 2000 metres pretty quickly and we have got a bit of weight there on Saturday as well.”

Think Giant will carry 61kg at Caulfield, with Tom Stockdale booked to ride. Explore the available racing betting markets for this exciting debut.

As expected, the Washington Wizards have begun the 2026 NBA Draft by selecting BYU’s AJ Dybantsa with the first overall pick. 

In a draft class loaded with “cant-miss prospects,” Dybantsa stood out above the rest, as the 6-foot-9, 217-pound forward put on a show with the Cougars in his one and only collegiate season. 

Dybantsa averaged 25.6 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.1 steals per game, while shooting 51% from the field for BYU. He became the fifth Division-1 player in the last 40 seasons to average at least 25 points while shooting 50% from the field in a single season. 

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NBA Draft Prospect, AJ Dybansta poses for a portrait during the content circuit as part of the 2026 NBA Draft on June 22, 2026 at the Lotte Palace Hotel in New York City, New York York.  (Steve Freeman/NBAE)

The other top prospects in the draft, including Kansas’ Darryn Peterson and Duke’s Cam Boozer, were in contention for the top pick. But considering the Wizards had already locked up Trae Young on a massive extension prior to the draft, it was clear Washington was looking to go with a dynamic forward that could enhance their playoff hopes right away. 

Dybantsa fits the bill, especially when it comes to his shot creation. His short BYU career proved that he can create no matter where he is on the floor, using his 7-foot wingspan to his advantage, whether it be rising over his defender or slicing through the lane.

THE 2026 NBA DRAFT CLASS HAS THE ‘BEST’ AND ‘DEEPEST’ CROP OF FRESHMEN, ESPN BROADCASTER SAYS

Dybantsa has also shown a flair for the big moment, most notably in the first round of the NCAA Tournament when he drilled a deep three-pointer to force overtime. Unfortunately, the Cougars were eliminated in their opening game, leaving fans to wonder what might have been after Dybantsa’s brief March Madness showcase.

AJ Dybantsa declares for the NBA Draft during an event at the Davis K-8 School in Brockton, Mass., on April 23, 2026. (Jonathan Wiggs/The Boston Globe/Getty Images)

But there is no question the Boston, Mass. native is ready for the biggest stage in basketball, even at 19 years old. He will need to tighten his game and develop more — his ball-handling skills have been something brought up during the pre-Draft process — but the ceiling is very high for Dybantsa as he slots into the Wizards’ roster. 

That roster not only has Young locked up, but they also traded for Anthony Davis last season, and he figures to be a key piece of this rebuilding puzzle, granted he remains healthy. Alex Sarr, who the Wizards took second overall out of France in 2024, will look to take steps forward, while veterans like D’Angelo Russell will also play a role. 

BYU forward AJ Dybantsa (3) dribbles the ball against Clemson during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025, in New York.  (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)

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The Wizards have not won more than 18 games in each of the past three seasons, and they’re desperate to return to the playoffs for the first time since the 2020-21 campaign.

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Panama were eliminated from World Cup contention after Croatia kept their hopes of progressing to the last 32 alive with a hard-fought 1-0 win on Tuesday.

Croatia, who made it to the last four of the 2018 and 2022 tournaments, were looking to bounce back after their opening Group L match, a 4-2 defeat to England in Dallas.

In the end, Ante Budimir’s 54th-minute goal proved enough to see off the spirited Central Americans.

Croatia’s most celebrated player, Luka Modrić, was making his 200th international appearance, but his early headed effort on goal sailed over the bar.

Under Danish-born coach Thomas Christiansen, Panama have implemented a tight defensive structure that helped them secure their second-ever World Cup appearance.

But it was the Panamanian offence that almost made the difference in the first half.

In the 23rd minute, José Luis Rodríguez guided a header towards goal but the outstretched fingertips of Croatian goalkeeper Dominik Livaković redirected the ball off the bar.

Read moreWorld Cup 2026: England held by Ghana in goalless Group L stalemate

The second half marked a clear momentum shift, and the capacity crowd of 43,000 in Toronto, with a strong Croatian majority, erupted when Budimir tapped in a cross from Josip Stanišić.

Croatia should have been two up minutes later, when a perfectly weighted pass from Modrić sent Marco Pašalić alone speeding towards goal.

Pašalić’s first effort was stopped by goalkeeper Orlando Mosquera and, although the rebound came back to him, he blazed an off-balance second attempt well over the bar.

Panama kept pressing for the equaliser but they ultimately failed to find the net, extending their World Cup goalless streak.

They face England in what will be their final match of the tournament on Friday.

Croatia have three points and will face Ghana, who moved onto four points after holding England to a goalless draw earlier, for a place in the final 32.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP)

While Tom Charlton has a Group 1 winner entered for the feature race at Rosehill this Saturday, a stablemate competing in a supporting race could prove to be the stable’s premier staying prospect.

King Pedro is set to compete over 2400 metres for the first time this preparation in the $160,000 Stayer’s Cup. The New Zealand-bred son of Eminent has not experienced much fortune in his three runs this campaign, including a narrow second place over 2000m at Rosehill on June 13, and Charlton is hopeful for a turnaround.

“He probably hasn’t had a lot of luck for his past four runs, to be fair,” Charlton commented. “You could make a case that he’s been unlucky in all of them, but he’s building into the preparation very well.”

King Pedro finished second at Gosford over 2100m two starts ago, having been narrowly beaten by Monopolistic after an early surge. This followed a seventh-place finish on debut over 1600m at Randwick on Anzac Day, where he encountered traffic problems in the straight but was ultimately beaten by only a length.

The Stayer’s Cup will be King Pedro’s first start at the 2400-metre distance since another close second in benchmark 78 grade at Randwick on December 20.

King Pedro’s recent misfortune means he has accumulated only two wins from 14 starts and holds a rating of 77, which accounts for his 54.5kg weight on Saturday. Charlton indicated that if he performs well this weekend, he could be considered for Stakes grade.

“We toyed with going to the Caloundra Cup (next week), but if he was to run well in the Stayer’s Cup he could go to the Grafton Cup two-and-a-half weeks later,” Charlton noted. “He’s clearly got a good future, probably at a grade better than this, and he should stay well.”

Maison Louis, last year’s Queensland Derby winner, will also be at Rosehill. He aims to recover from a poor showing in the Listed Winter Cup (2400m) and will compete in the $200,000 Listed McKell Cup over 2000m. “His runs prior to last weekend have all been with plenty of merit, just with barriers draws and things not working out, so I would be confident he can run well at Listed grade.”

Place your bets on the Stayer’s Cup with Australian betting sites and support King Pedro’s bid for a change of luck.

The 2026 NBA Draft is one that scouts and executives have targeted for several years now. Loaded at the very top with a Big 3 whose potential stardom has been well-documented since high school – AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, and Cameron Boozer could all change the course of an NBA franchise. In the hours leading up to the draft though, there was still uncertainty about exactly where they would all end up.

Thanks to the emergence of other freshmen like Caleb Wilson and Keaton Wagler, who could round out the top five, there’s even more potential star power than we might have anticipated. Wagler is also just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to one-and-done point guards who could be prioritized in the lottery as Darius Acuff, Mikel Brown, and Kingston Flemings are all highly coveted coming into this draft.

While Brayden Burries and Nate Ament add even more from a loaded freshmen class, there are some college veterans to be had as well, particularly off the defending national champions. Just a day after Dusty May left Michigan to take the Dallas Mavericks job, Aday Mara, Yaxel Lendeborg, and Morez Johnson all have a chance to be a lottery pick. If it comes to fruition for all three then this would be the first time since 2007 that three-non-freshmen from the same team were picked in the lottery.

CBS Sports will be with you throughout the 2025 NBA Draft with pick-by-pick grades and analysis from our NBA Draft experts. Live, continuous coverage of the draft will also be available live on CBS Sports HQ at the top of this page or on any device of your choosing.

More: NBA Draft hub | LIVE updates | Team grades

CBS Sports mock drafts: Finkelstein | Parrish | Salerno | Norlander | Trotter

2026 NBA Draft Grades

Round 1

1. Washington Wizards: AJ Dybantsa | BYU | SF 

Dybantsa is a prototypical big wing with positional size, length, athleticism, and an elastic build who can score from all three levels and create his own offense almost on demand. He pressures the rim, understands how to get fouled, and is as polished of a scorer as we’ve seen in several draft cycles. He will be a Day 1 scorer in the NBA and yet still has plenty of room to keep taking his game to new levels with the progression of his 3-point shooting, handle, and defense. Dybantsa legitimately has the potential to lead the NBA in scoring one day, but also has to prove that he can consistently impact, and ultimately, drive winning. Grade: A

2. Utah Jazz: Darryn Peterson | Kansas | PG

Peterson is the best fit here and has the higher long-term upside. At Kansas this season we saw a level of shot-making that we did not know existed. Peterson can get to the rim, score at all levels, and is a dynamic shotmaker. He has a chance to be the very best player to come out of this draft. With the frontcourt rebuilt this year, you can slot Peterson very cleanly next to Keyonte George to create Utah’s backcourt of the future. With this move, the Jazz have essentially rebuilt its roster. The hope is that the durability issues from last season are now behind him and he can merge the shot-making we saw at Kansas with the creation we saw in high school. Grade: A

3. Memphis Grizzlies: Cameron Boozer | Duke | PF

Boozer has the highest floor in the draft and an underrated ceiling. Not only can no other player in the field match Boozer’s history of winning or production, but Boozer also has an unmatched overlap of size, skill, physicality, and feel for the game. He’s also very much in line with the type of player that Memphis has prioritized in the draft process in recent years. Memphis can plug Boozer in next to Zach Edey and Cedric Coward and Memphis’ rebuilding project already has their frontcourt of the future figured out. Grade: A+

4. Chicago Bulls: Caleb Wilson | N. Carolina | PF

Wilson was the fairly obvious choice here. He has legit star-type outcome and potential. He’s the most explosive athlete in the draft with a big-time motor and unusual elasticity (or bend) for a player his size.  At North Carolina, Wilson was farther along offensively than expected and yet has immense room for progress, not just with his perimeter skill-set, but even his defensive polish. Those tools should check a lot of boxes for new Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Bryson Graham. Grade: A    

5. Los Angeles Clippers: Keaton Wagler | Illinois | PG

Of the four one-and-done freshman point guards, Wagler is the easiest to pair with Clippers’ guard Darius Garland. The positional size and shooting give him on/off ball versatility that would be critical in this context, but it’s his feel for the game and natural instincts that may be his true superpower. Wagler is a natural shooter with versatility to make shots off the catch, dribble, or on the move. He has terrific basketball instincts, high basketball IQ, and a very deliberate pace that prevents opposing defenders from speeding him up. Grade: B+

2026 NBA Draft: Wizards take AJ Dybantsa over Darryn Peterson at No. 1 as top four unfolds without a surprise

Cameron Salerno

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6. Brooklyn Nets: Mikel Brown Jr. | Louisville | PG 

Brown gives Brooklyn a naturally skilled, high-upside, late-blooming lead guard, whose athleticism is catching up. He’s incredibly skilled, naturally ambidextrous, has complete control of the ball, is a pinpoint passer, and a much better shooter than his numbers showed at Louisville. Brown Makes deep shots in bunches when he gets hot. Excellent left hand too. Very good floor-vision, passing, and ability to make reads coming off of ball-screens. Ranked in the 89th percentile as a pick-and-roll ball-handler. Grown into having positional size at 6-3.5 without shoes, long arms, and newfound athleticism. The concerns are Brown’s lack of strength and physicality. He can hunt high-level plays instead of making the easy one, and he has a history of injuries, which could impact his durability.B rown impressed teams when he met with them face-to-face. Grade: B+

7. Sacramento Kings: Darius Acuff Jr. | Arkansas | PG

This is exactly what Sacramento wanted and it didn’t have to trade up to get him.  Acuff gives the Kings the type of offensive alpha creator they don’t yet have and he provides a more immediate impact than other players on the board, especially on the offensive end of the floor. Acuff is a shot-creator and multi-level scoring threat. He has the strength, balance, and poise to dictate his own pace and supplements that with extreme confidence to deliver in big games and moments. There are some concerns with his defensive commitment and approach. Size, length, and athleticism are adequate for NBA standards, but not ideal. Grade: A-  

8. Atlanta Hawks: Kingston Flemings | Houston | PG

Flemings gives Atlanta a high-level athlete and two-way lead guard with a high floor. Flemings would fit with a defensively oriented young perimeter core in Atlanta, and give them plenty of upside if his shooting proves to be sustainable. What is undeniable is that Flemings is an elite athlete who can get a piece of the paint on demand and rise up explosively at the rim. 

Flemings is a dynamic athlete with end-to-end speed, burst in his first step, physical strength, and leaping ability. He puts constant pressure on the paint, attacks both sides off the dribble, and rises up for big finishes. He’s also capable of getting to his pull-up at virtually any time and arguably the most dedicated defender of this freshman quartet. Flemings has solid positional size, but lacks great length. His 3-point shot is still very streaky with questionable mechanics. Grade: B+

‘Nerd’ Kingston Flemings knows he could be an analyst or a scout; instead, he’ll be a first-round draft pick

James Herbert

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9. Dallas Mavericks: Morez Johnson Jr. | Michigan | PF

New Mavs coach Dusty May brings in a Michigan player to Dallas. Morez Johnson was one of the biggest winners of the combine, measuring bigger than expected with massive length, well-rounded athleticism, and simultaneously reaffirming the shooting gains we saw this year. Johnson is long and powerful with an NBA-ready body and rugged physicality to match. He is a two-way rebounder and a versatile defender who can not only guard ball-screens in multiple ways but also be switchable inside-and-out.
Johnson is not a creator and doesn’t project as being more than a complementary piece offensively. Shooting is also still largely unproven with a total of 12 3-pointers in two college basketball seasons. He can provide some secondary rim protection, but doesn’t project as a primary shot-blocker at the NBA level. Grade: C+

10. Milwaukee Bucks: Brayden Burries | Arizona | SG

The Bucks benefit from Dallas taking a swing on Morez Johnson and are able to get Burries at No. 10. Burries is a strong and aggressive two-way guard who can get downhill with force, provide a formidable 3-point shooter, and defend his position, all with an NBA-ready frame. He has versatility in his shot-making profile and utilizes his strength as an engaged defender and high-volume perimeter rebounder. Burries played point guard when he was younger, but hasn’t shown the ball-handling or passing growth as much since. Best as a secondary handler. Grade: B+  

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11. Golden State Warriors: Yaxel Lendeborg | Michigan | PF

Lendeborg is one of the more versatile two-way players, and specifically defenders, in the draft. At 6-9 with a 7-3+ wingspan, he often guarded opposing point guards this year, is an excellent passer, and improved shooter who made 37% of his 3-pointers. Very good passer who can be a connector offensively, start the break himself, and has improved each year as a shooter.

The questions about Lendeborg are tied to his upside since he will turn 24-years-old before playing in his first NBA game. Very solid ball-handler for his size but more of a straight-line driver than dynamic creator or change of direction play. Aday Mara would have been a better roster fit here for the Warriors. Grade B- 

12. Oklahoma City Thunder: Aday Mara | Michigan | C 

The Thunder picking Mara here is easily seen as a direct answer to attempting to defend San Antonio Spurs superstar Victor Wembanyama for the foreseeable future. At 7-3 (without shoes), Mara is a giant, even by NBA standards, and a tremendous rim protector. He’s also got sneaky mobility, good hands, real passing ability, and provides vertical spacing.  Mara is a defensive anchor who alters or discourages as many shots as he blocks thanks to his timing and massive size. Playmaking big who has good touch, can pass the ball from various spots on the floor, and even show some creativity with the way he can manipulate passing angles. Vertical spacer and lob threat who ranked in the 97th percentile at the rim with his extreme reach, underrated hands, and coordination for his size.

Mara’s body mechanics aren’t ideal with less visible muscle mass and high/wide hips that can impact his flexibility. Not always a graceful mover on the perimeter, but more adept at keeping people in front than he sometimes gets credit for. He is an inconsistent free-throw shooter who has shown a reluctance to develop his face-up touch. Grade: A-  

13. Milwaukee Bucks (via reported trade with Miami): Nate Ament | Tennessee | PF — Grade B+
14. Charlotte Hornets
15. Chicago Bulls
16. Memphis Grizzlies
17. Oklahoma City Thunder
18. Charlotte Hornets
19. Toronto Raptors
20. San Antonio Spurs
21. Detroit Pistons
22. Philadelphia 76ers
23. Atlanta Hawks
24. New York Knicks
25. Los Angeles Lakers
26. Denver Nuggets
27. Boston Celtics
28. Brooklyn Nets (via reported trade with Minnesota)
29. Cleveland Cavaliers
30. Dallas Mavericks

Round 2  

31. New York Knicks
32. Memphis Grizzlies
33. Brooklyn Nets
34. Sacramento Kings
35. San Antonio Spurs
36. Los Angeles Clippers
37. Oklahoma City Thunder
38. Chicago Bulls
39. Houston Rockets
40. Boston Celtics
41. Miami Heat
42. San Antonio Spurs
43. Brooklyn Nets
44. San Antonio Spurs
45. Sacramento Kings
46. Orlando Magic
47. Phoenix Suns
48. Dallas Mavericks
49. Denver Nuggets
50. Toronto Raptors
51. Washington Wizards
52. Los Angeles Clippers
53. Houston Rockets
54. Golden State Warriors
55. New York Knicks
56. Chicago Bulls
57. Atlanta Hawks
58. New Orleans Pelicans
59. Minnesota Timberwolves
60. Washington Wizards

“For Thomas Tuchel, I now expect changes on Saturday night against Panama,” former England captain Wayne Rooney told BBC Sport.

“England probed, but there are little details throughout that game that Tuchel will look at with the team and try on improve on.

“When a team is sitting in a low block, you have to cross the ball. It is very difficult to defend against. I don’t think we crossed the ball enough in 90 minutes.”

England captain Harry Kane was so well marshalled that he only had two touches in the Ghana penalty area in the first half, although he blazed a late chance over the top.

The Three Lions’ midfield also looked one dimensional, raising questions about what impact a creator such as Nottingham Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White might have made, or someone with Adam Wharton’s intelligent range of passing.

Two absent playmakers – Chelsea’s Cole Palmer and Phil Foden of Manchester City – might also have helped break down an obdurate Ghana side, but their club form was not good enough, and it is easy to be wise after the event.

Tuchel, however, is insistent Declan Rice and Elliot Anderson will build the midfield platform – but there is no doubt England lacked ideas and variety for long periods.

Rice told BBC Sport: “They were very compact, 5-4-1 off the ball and tight spaces to play through, but on the other hand we can do more with the ball.

“You have to give credit to Ghana. It’s tough and they are good players, so it was never going to be an easy game. We have one more group game to top the group, so we have to be positive.

“Loads of top nations draw the first game so there is no need to be negative or downbeat. We will stay positive.”