England Face Favorable World Cup Last-32 Draw After Ghana Stalemate

England remain on course to finish top of their World Cup group despite being held to a 0-0 draw by Ghana. The result leaves Thomas Tuchel's side at the summit of Group L with one match remaining against DR Congo, meaning they still have their fate firmly in their own hands heading into the final round of fixtures.

Current Knockout Bracket

With the knockout picture beginning to take shape, attention is already turning to the last-32 draw and the route England could take if they are to lift the trophy on July 19. While there is still plenty of football to be played, the current bracket suggests England could find themselves on what many supporters would view as the more favourable side of the draw.

As things stand, topping Group L would set up a Round of 32 clash against DR Congo in Atlanta on July 1. England and DR Congo are currently paired together in the bracket, though the African nation could still be replaced by another third-placed qualifier from Group K, where Colombia, Portugal and Uzbekistan remain in the mix.

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Potential Path to the Final

Should England negotiate that opening knockout tie, a last-16 meeting with either Mexico or Cape Verde awaits on July 6. That would leave Tuchel's men just two victories away from the final, with a quarter-final potentially bringing one of Brazil - clearly the biggest challenge - Japan, Ivory Coast or Norway into view on July 11.

The semi-finals are scheduled for July 15 and could see England come up against sides such as Belgium, Portugal, Argentina or Uruguay, depending on how the remaining sections of the bracket develop.

Avoiding European Heavyweights

Crucially, England's projected route currently keeps them away from several of Europe's biggest heavyweights until the final itself. France, Germany, Spain and the Netherlands are all currently situated in the opposite half of the draw, meaning England would not face any of those nations before July 19 if both they and the Three Lions continue to progress.

As things stand, England's projected route to the final is:

Round of 32 (July 1): England vs DR Congo
Last 16 (July 6): England/DR Congo vs Mexico/Cape Verde
Quarter-final (July 11): Potentially Brazil, Japan, Ivory Coast or Norway
Semi-final (July 15): Potentially Argentina, Uruguay, Belgium, Portugal or Canada
Final (July 19): Teams such as France, Spain, Netherlands, Colombia and Germany enter the equation

Final Group Game Decisive

Of course, there remains one final group game to play and the bracket could yet undergo significant changes before the knockout rounds begin. England know that victory over DR Congo would guarantee first place in Group L and preserve what currently appears to be a highly attractive route through the tournament.

For now, the draw with Ghana has done little to dent their prospects. If anything, the knockout bracket suggests England remain well placed to avoid a number of the tournament favourites until the latter stages as their bid for World Cup glory gathers pace.