England fans have been praised for their exemplary behaviour during the 0-0 draw with Ghana at the World Cup in Boston, with UK police confirming no incidents or arrests of British nationals. Around 30,000 supporters made the trip to the Boston Stadium in Foxborough for the match, which passed without any trouble.
Police praise for fans
Chief Constable Mark Roberts, National Police Chiefs' Council Lead for Football Policing, said: “The behaviour of England fans both before, during and after the match, was excellent and was a repeat of the picture in Dallas.” He added: “The local police were very complimentary of them with Chief Grace of Foxborough Police, calling their behaviour ‘exemplary’. There really has been a great atmosphere throughout the city, which has been very welcoming.”
Local bar owners and authorities also praised Scotland fans who flocked to the city for their matches against Haiti and Morocco. UK police worked alongside US counterparts ahead of the tournament.
Match details
More than 63,000 fans filled the Boston Stadium to watch England struggle to break down a stubborn Ghana defence, ranked 65th in the world. Harry Kane squandered a late chance to snatch victory, blazing the ball over the crossbar. Thomas Tuchel said he would normally score '99 times out of 100' in that situation.
Three Lions voiced their frustration at the 'bore draw', chanting: "Do you know how much we've spent" as the rain came down. England are still expected to advance to the knockout stages in their final group game against Panama on Saturday.
Fan experiences
Train fares were hiked to $80 (£60) instead of the usual $20 (£15). England supporters copied the Scots by hiring a fleet of iconic yellow school buses to take them to the stadium, 25 miles from downtown Boston and 20 miles from Providence. At least a dozen coaches and school buses transported fans from Providence to the ground with fans paying a bargain $35 (£26) for the return journey.
John Killeen, CEO of Keolis Commuter Services, said: “We got four times as many fans to the match than we do for a normal NFL game. The England fans were brilliant.” It was believed to be the biggest movement of fans in the company's history.
Players and families
Among those in the crowd was Jordan Pickford's wife, Megan, who kissed the goalkeeper after the game alongside their seven-year-old son. She was seen waving and blowing kisses to the cameras while wearing a white mini dress and a white raincoat. Bukayo Saka also sought comfort from his fiancée, Tolami Benson, who donned a custom England outfit. Jude Bellingham's girlfriend Ashlyn Castro, and defender John Stones's wife Olivia were alongside Ellie Watkins, wife of striker Ollie Watkins.
David Beckham received a huge cheer from the crowd as he appeared on the big screen with his best pal Dave Gardner. Beckham's son Cruz and girlfriend Jackie Apostel were alongside him.
Fan reactions
Ian Collins, 52, from Wandsworth, said: “Everyone had a fantastic time in Boston. The weather wasn’t quite as good as Dallas but they were two great venues and both cities were incredibly welcoming to the Three Lions.” Arsenal fan Connor Walsh, 32, based in New York, said: "The team were tentative again but they can still do it."
Sean Christiansen, 55, of Oxford, has spent more than £10,000 on his trip to the US and has the option of a £2,500 ticket for the final. He said: "I was going to stay out for the duration but I am glad that I am going back. It will be a break and I will come back if we do get to the final."
Dave Thompson, who attended the 1966 final aged five with his dad, is heading home after the first knockout match but has a ticket for the final. He said: "I will be back if we get there."
Looking ahead
England, sitting top of Group L, and Scotland, third in Group C, are on course to meet in the last 16 in Mexico City on July 6, but that could change depending on results in their final group matches against Panama and Brazil respectively. The Football Supporters Association confirmed thousands of fans had booked tickets all the way to the final on July 19.
Tuchel promised the Three Lions would 'not lose their heads'. He admitted: "It is difficult to find a way through when someone plays a 4-5-1 and completely deep and is committed to it and they celebrated a 0-0 like a win. So you could see the different approaches, which is fair enough and credit to them. You cannot lose your head about it."
