England’s goalless World Cup draw against Ghana attracted attention both on and off the pitch after a Ghanaian witch doctor claimed he cast a curse on England captain Harry Kane and later “let him go” after the game.Nana Kwaku Bonsam, a self-proclaimed spiritualist who earlier claimed responsibility for the knee injury he suffered Cristiano Ronaldo before the 2014 World Cup, he posted a video after Kane missed a late chance in Boston.Bonsam said he worked to prevent Kane from scoring against Ghana but insisted he meant no serious harm.“I’m the most powerful spiritualist in the whole world. Now I’m going to release Harry Kane so he can score in his next game,” Bonsam said. “Harry, I’ll come visit you. Don’t be offended. We’re friends.”Watch:He stated before the match: “I’m working on Harry Kane. I’ve already shown what I’m capable of, so I know what I have to do to stop him. I’m very famous for my predictions.”The comments even prompted a response from illusionist Uri Geller, who vowed to counter any negative energy aimed at the England striker.While the story of the bizarre curse grabbed the headlines, England’s performance was hotly debated. Former defender Micah Richards described the display as a “Southgate performance”, saying the team lacked energy and creativity compared to their opening win over Croatia.Former England stars Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer, Joe Cole, Gary Neville and Roy Keane largely agreed that England were lucky not to lose after avoiding a penalty decision and a possible red card for goalkeeper Jordan Pickford.Despite the criticism, most experts have called for calm, noting that England is still well placed in the tournament. Manager Thomas Tuchel and his team now turn their attention to the crucial final group stage match against Panama.
