A goal in second half stoppage time earned Ghana and their unwavering support a draw against a makeshift England side who nonetheless put in a solid all round performance.
After Ashley Young inexplicably hit the bar from the edge of the six yard box and Joe Hart made two fine saves from Dominic Adiyiah, Andy Carroll grabbed his first international goal at the end of a pulsating first half.
It came late but Asamoah Gyan equalised after a fine individual effort, no less than the Sunderland striker deserved for his display.
Fabio Capello stayed true to his word and fielded a much weakened team to that which played against Wales on Saturday, making seven changes in total, sticking with the 4-3-3 formation that worked so well at the weekend. The men to retain their places in the side were goalkeeper Joe Hart, full back Glen Johnson, midfield dynamo Jack Wilshere and winger Ashley Young.
Gareth Barry was named as captain, taking the armband from John Terry who returned to Chelsea on Sunday, and started in the holding midfield role, James Milner coming in to play in the centre with him and Wilshere. Phil Jagielka followed up his late substitute appearance against the Welsh by partnering two-cap Gary Cahill in the centre of defence, Everton's Leighton Baines playing on the left side of the defence.
On Monday it was announced that Andy Carroll would start his second England game up front, Stewart Downing coming in on the wing with Ashley Young on the opposite flank.
Ghana were without Kevin-Prince Boateng of Milan and Chelsea's Michael Essien, neither being named in the squad due to injury. All five of Ghana's English based squad members started, Sulley Muntari playing behind Sunderland team mate Asamoah Gyan. Dominic Adiyiah who was such a success at the last U20 World Cup started out on the wing.
Wembley saw its largest ever away attendance for an England international, 21,000 Ghanaian fans filling a corner of the national stadium, and those fans were so nearly able to cheer the opening goal.
Neat passing from Ghana on the half way line lead to a ball being slipped through for Adiyiah. The youngster, currently away on loan from parent club Milan, ran through but when faced with only Hart to beat contrived to shoot straight at the England stopper.
Minutes later it was Englands chance to bear down on goal, Stewart Downing the man with the chance to beat Kingson in goal, only to see his right footed effort blaze high and wide.
Kingson was, however, called into action not long after, Downing plucking a high ball out of the air, taking it inside and laying it off for Ashley Young whose curling effort forced Kingson to tip the ball around the post at full stretch.
During the first twenty minutes England showed glimpses of what they can do, Johnson and Baines making numerous overlapping runs with their teammates duly supplying them with the required through balls. Despite that Ghana had managed to fashion a couple of chances. Aside from Adiyiah's glaring failure Sulley Muntari curled a free kick over the bar and Asamoah Gyan fired a shot from forty yards that was simple for Hart to collect.
But England continued to come forward and James Milner found himself at the byline, sweeping the ball across for his former Aston Villa teammate Ashley Young who slid in and somehow managed to hit the crossbar from just seven yards out.
Ghana were unperturbed by this, though, and came forward, winning a free kick. Muntari whipped it across and Adiyiah gave James Milner the slip only to see Hart nudge his effort wide of the England goal.
The away side also showed that they were comfortable in possession, stringing a number of passes together to great cheers from their support as they looked to break the England defence down, but their opponents were having none of it and after regaining control of the ball they pushed forward and snatched the opening goal.
Ashley Young clipped a ball in behind the Ghanaian defence where he found Stewart Downing who took the ball out of the air, sending it straight into the path of the on rushing Andy Carroll who drove the ball across Kingson for his first goal for the senior England team.
That was to be the final action of a frantic first half which saw both sides create chances, although England just about deserved the lead on the balance of play.
Moments into the second half Jack Wilshere burst forward to the edge of the Ghana area before knocking the ball across to Ashley Young who curled the ball inches over the crossbar.
It took a while but Ghana grew into the second half, England having to take two digs to clear a free kick before a shot came in from the edge of the area which was deflected behind for a corner, that set piece was headed over the bar.
James Milner very nearly took a boot to the face from Derek Boateng but picked himself up to test Richard Kingson with a stinging effort from just outside the area.
Gyan was the next player to find himself through on goal, though the angle was against him and he eventually smashed it into the side netting.
With 22 minutes left there was to be a first England cap for Wolves Matt Jarvis, coming on for Jack Wilshere.
The final ten minutes saw another Sunderland based Ghanaian take to the field, it was however, Danny Welbeck making his England debut, despite being qualified to represent Ghana.
There was nearly a late scare for England, Stewart Downing meekly hitting a backpass for Joe Hart, the Man City stopper's first time clearance crashing into Asamoah Gyan's outstretched boot but, thankfully, flying metres over his bar.
Just as the PA at Wembley was informing the fans of the three additional minutes there was to be a sting in the tail as Asamoah Gyan collected the ball just outside the England area. He twisted, he turned and he finished coolly across Joe Hart to send the Ghana fans in one of the corners at that end into raptures.
The second half wasn't the free-flowing spectacle that the first was but the last gasp Gyan equaliser gave the fabulous Ghana support what they deserved and what Gyan himself had earned for the shift that he put in for his nation.
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