England were held to a frustrating 0-0 draw by a gritty Ghana side in their second Group L match of the World Cup on Tuesday.
After their exciting 4-2 win over Croatia in the opening game, England were expected to continue their momentum, but Ghana’s organised defence made life difficult for Thomas Tuchel’s team throughout the match.
Ghana, who secured a dramatic late victory over Panama in their first game, arrived with a clear plan to frustrate England and limit their attacking threat.
Playing in steady rain, England dominated possession, controlling nearly 80% of the ball in the first half. However, they struggled to create clear-cut chances. Ghana’s defenders crowded around captain Harry Kane and closed down space whenever England moved into dangerous areas.
The first half lacked attacking quality from both sides. In fact, it was the first half at this World Cup in which neither team managed a shot on target.
Tuchel had warned before the match that Ghana would be well organised under experienced coach Carlos Queiroz, and that prediction proved accurate.
England assistant coach Anthony Barry admitted at half-time that Ghana were defending even deeper than expected and stressed the need for patience.
Looking for a breakthrough, Tuchel made a series of attacking substitutions in the second half, bringing on Bukayo Saka and Nico O’Reilly before later introducing Morgan Rogers, Eberechi Eze and Marcus Rashford.
While England pushed forward, Ghana remained dangerous on the counterattack. The pace of Antoine Semenyo and substitute Prince Kwabena Adu occasionally threatened to catch England out.
The best chance of the match fell to England in the 86th minute. O’Reilly’s header crashed against the crossbar and the rebound dropped perfectly for Kane, but the striker fired over from close range.
“I just couldn’t quite get over the ball,” Kane said afterwards. “Usually, that’s a chance I’d expect to score. But these things happen. I’ve been a striker long enough to know not every opportunity goes in.”
The draw leaves both teams in a strong position to qualify for the knockout rounds. However, it was England who will likely feel more disappointed after failing to build on their impressive opening victory.
The result also continued a curious trend, with England now drawing their second group-stage match at four consecutive major tournaments, including two European Championships and two World Cups.
