World Cup: England collect unwanted history after dull draw against Ghana
By Luke Oluoch, June 24, 2026Ghana’s Black Stars grind out a 0-0 draw in their second Group L encounter on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, in Boston, Dallas, to frustrate England with the goalless draw.
Harry Kane had the game’s best chance but blazed over from a glorious chance moments after Nico O’Reilly’s header had come back off the crossbar.
The England skipper Harry Kane spurned the game’s best chance, blazing over from six yards out moments after a Nico O’Reilly header crashed off the crossbar.
Thomas Tuchel’s side failed to replicate that attacking flair that saw them shrug off Croatia in their Group L opener a week ago.
The cagey affair took 57 minutes for Anthony Gordon to register England’s first official shot on target as frustration boiled over from the resolute defensive masterclass from the West Africans.
Grim statistics
Despite the outcome, England remains top of Group L on goal difference after a 0-0 draw with Ghana and next faces Panama in their final Group L match as Croatia, who beat Panama 1-0 on Wednesday, June 24, 2026, contends with the Ghanaian challenge.
The match saw England record several strange statistics en route to the share of spoils.
The Three Lions enjoyed 79 per cent possession and 19 shots compared to Ghana’s 2. Their dominance was the highest on record since 1966 for any side in a World Cup match without scoring.
Second game syndrome
The result marked the familiar second-game syndrome for the team, who, for the fourth major tournament in a row, drew their second game of the group stage.
Ghana kept intact its unbeaten run against the 1966 champions, remaining among the five nations that England has never beaten at the World Cup stage. Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Honduras, and South Korea complete the list.
Three Lions have played Ghana and Saudi Arabia twice and the other three teams once, drawing all of these games.
New draw kings
Meanwhile, the clash secured a record 23rd draw for the national team at the World Cup, the most of any nation in the competition’s history.
On individual feats, there was history for the England attacking duo Jude Bellingham and Marcus Rashford.
Marcus Rashford has now equalled the record for the most substitute appearances in World Cup history, as per an update shared by the Guinness Book of Records, while the Real Madrid ace became the youngest player ever to reach 50 caps with England.