Footage circulating on social media appears to show England full-back Djed Spence not shaking hands with Ghana midfielder Thomas Partey before their World Cup match in Boston.

Partey was booed by England fans as he made his first appearance at this year’s World Cup, having missed his nation’s first game at the tournament.

The 33-year-old was denied entry into Canada after telling officials he had never been arrested nor charged with a crime, and missed Ghana’s 1-0 win against Panama in Toronto as a result.

Partey pleaded not guilty to seven charges of rape and one count of sexual assault relating to allegations by four different women between 2020 and 2022 and is scheduled to stand trial next year.

BBC Sport understands the Football Association did not discuss the pre-match handshake with players before the match.

There were boos from the crowd at Boston Stadium as the Villarreal and former Arsenal midfielder’s name was read out over the public address system before the Group L match, while his touches of the ball were regularly met with jeers.

Partey said before Tuesday’s match he felt “ready to play” against England.

In a statement, US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) said last week: “The US is aware of the pending court case for Mr Partey.

“However, at this time, he has not been convicted of a crime and was admitted to the United States after being issued a visa.” BBC

England were unable to replicate the free-flowing football that dismantled Croatia in their opening World Cup fixture, as Thomas Tuchel’s side were held to a frustrating 0-0 draw by Ghana at Boston Stadium.

Victory would have secured England’s place in the last 32, but Ghana’s stubborn organisation and disciplined defending denied them the breakthrough. England struggled to create clear chances, taking 57 minutes to register their first shot on target. Meanwhile, Ghana looked dangerous on the counter-attack, forcing anxious moments for Tuchel’s defence in a disjointed contest.

Tuchel introduced Bukayo Saka, whose minutes are being carefully managed due to an Achilles issue, and replaced Jude Bellingham with Morgan Rogers in search of inspiration. Saka forced a fine save from Ghana goalkeeper Benjamin Asare, while substitute Nico O’Reilly struck the bar with a header. Marc Guehi also saw his effort cleared off the line as England pressed for a winner.

Late drama nearly saw England punished when Ezri Konsa brought down Prince Kwabena Adu inside the area. Replays showed Konsa failed to make contact with the ball, but England escaped without conceding a penalty.

Despite the draw, England remain top of Group L. However, their qualification hopes now hinge on their final group game against Panama, where Tuchel’s men must secure the points needed to progress to the knockout stage.

France’s World Cup clash with Iraq in Philadelphia, which was suspended for more than two hours due to severe thunderstorms, finally resumed on Monday night — and Kylian Mbappé wasted no time in making his mark.

The match was halted at 5:49 p.m. ET after lightning activity forced FIFA officials to suspend play and direct fans to shelter. At that point, France led 1-0 thanks to Mbappé’s first-half goal, assisted by Michael Olise. Play eventually restarted at 8:00 p.m. ET, marking the first weather-related suspension of this year’s tournament.

Once back underway, Mbappé added a second goal to extend France’s lead to 2-0, taking his World Cup tally to 16.

France won 3-0 with Kylian Mbappe scoring either side of the long delay before Ousmane Dembele added his first World Cup goal.

Mbappe, 27, has now scored 16 World Cup goals, meaning he is two short of the new all-time record of 18 set by Lionel Messi earlier on Monday.

The dramatic delay capped a stormy evening on the East Coast, where thunderstorm watches and flood advisories also threatened to disrupt Norway’s clash with Senegal in New Jersey.

France’s victory over Iraq now stands as one of the most memorable fixtures of the tournament so far — not only for Mbappé’s milestone chase but also for the rare weather interruption that reshaped the rhythm of the game.