Ghana were held to a goalless draw by England at Boston Stadium, missing the opportunity to secure an early place in the last 32 of the FIFA World Cup.
After an impressive opening victory over Croatia, Thomas Tuchel’s side struggled to break down a disciplined Ghanaian defence and had to settle for a point in their second Group L match.
England failed to register a shot on target until the 57th minute and were repeatedly tested by Ghana’s counter-attacks. Substitutes Bukayo Saka and Nico O’Reilly came closest to scoring, with Saka forcing a fine save from goalkeeper Benjamin Asare and O’Reilly heading against the crossbar late in the game. Marc Guehi also saw a header cleared off the line.
Ghana nearly snatched a late advantage and were left aggrieved after appeals for a penalty were waved away when Ezri Konsa brought down Prince Kwabena Adu inside the area without appearing to win the ball. VAR saved England with no reaction to the obvious foul.
The result leaves England top of Group L, but they must now wait until their final group match against Panama on Saturday to confirm qualification for the knockout stage. Ghana, meanwhile, will face Croatia in Philadelphia in their final group fixture.
The match, played on 23 June 2026, served as a reality check for England after their dominant display against Croatia, with Ghana’s organized defensive approach proving a far tougher challenge.