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World Cup: Ghana frustrates England to historic goalless draw in Boston
24th June, 2026 01:23 AM
Ghana’s Black Stars rolled out a defensive masterclass to secure a valuable point against England, grinding out a 0-0 draw in their second Group L encounter on Tuesday, June 23, 2026. The high-stakes match was staged before a sold-out crowd in Boston, Dallas, USA.
England skipper Harry Kane uncharacteristically wasted the game’s best chance, blazing over from six yards out moments after a Nico O’Reilly header crashed off the crossbar.
Ghana’s defensive resolve
Carlos Quieroz’s side executed their game plan to perfection, opting to stay compact within their own half as the tie kicked off. The strategy paid dividends as it left England with the daunting task of trying to unlock the resilient African nation.
Despite their defensive shape, Ghana looked dangerous on the counter-attack, with Antoine Semenyo and Iñaki Williams leading the line brilliantly.
They consistently pressured an English centre-back pairing that saw Marc Guéhi step into the starting lineup alongside Ezri Konsa, as John Stones dropped to the bench.
Kane, who opened his World Cup campaign with a brace in the 4-2 victory against Croatia, was heavily marked and barely offered a sniff all afternoon.
Jude Bellingham also struggled to make an impact, executing a heavy touch that ran out of play following a brilliant setup by Kane.
As England continued their dominance, they lacked the incisiveness required to unlock the Ghanaian backline. In doing so, they made unwanted history, failing to register a single shot on target during the first half of a World Cup match for the first time.
Second-half drama
Thomas Tuchel stuck to his guns as England started the second half with plenty of energy, mirroring the opening period. However, it was Ghana’s left back who found the first real opening after the break, driving into the box only to see his shot lack precision and squirmed across the face of the goal.
At the other end, Jordan Pickford was forced off his line to deny Ghanaian substitute Prince Adu from meeting a dangerous cross. The incident momentarily silenced the English fans, as it initially looked like a potential penalty. Replays eventually calmed English nerves, confirming that Pickford’s timing was impeccable on his 14th World Cup appearance.
Shortly after, Kane saw a left-footed strike from outside the box smothered by Ghana goalkeeper Benjamin Asare. Desperate for a breakthrough, Tuchel threw on more firepower, introducing Bukayo Saka and Nico O’Reilly.
Ghana had another close shave with minutes remaining on the clock. Substitute Eberechi Eze was dispossessed in midfield, sparking a rare, lightning-fast Ghanaian counter-attack, but the assistant referee’s flag went up for offside against Prince Adu.
Late agony for England
England thought they had snatched a dramatic late winner when O’Reilly’s header thudded off the underside of the crossbar. The rebound fell perfectly to Kane, but the captain inexplicably fired over the bar from point-blank range, leaving the England bench in complete bewilderment.
The full-time whistle sparked wild celebration from Quieroz’s team as the African picked up the crucial one point to add to their opening win against Panama.
Following the stalemate, both England and Ghana are tied at the top of Group L on four points each, with Croatia and Panama set to face off in the group’s other second-round fixture.
The Three Lions will wrap up their group stage campaign against Panama, while Ghana will clash with Croatia as both sides battle for a place in the knockout round of 32.
