Fifa World Cup: England frustrated in goalless draw with Ghana
AFP report, blog by Cameron McMillan
England suffered a Fifa World Cup setback today as Thomas Tuchel’s side were held to a frustrating 0-0 draw by Ghana, leaving them with work still to do as they bid to progress to the knockout stage as Group L winners.
Nico O’Reilly came closest to scoring with a late header for England that hit the bar, but after the promise of their opening 4-2 win over Croatia, this was a performance that will raise doubts as to their chances of going all the way and winning the tournament.
They dominated possession and had 19 shots to their opponents’ two, yet rarely looked like scoring past Ghana’s stand-in goalkeeper Benjamin Asare in a match watched by 63,983 fans at the Gillette Stadium near Boston.
Both teams have four points with one game still to play in Group L, with progression to the next round all but assured but their final positions still in the balance.
In damp, cool conditions, England delivered a stodgy performance that echoed some of their faltering displays during Euro 2024.
Fifa World Cup 2026 groups and standings
However, there are no dramatic consequences, as England take a step closer to the last 32. All they need do now is safely negotiate their final group fixture against Panama at the MetLife Stadium on Sunday, and they will be able to turn their attentions to the knockout rounds.
England have still never lost to African opposition at the World Cup and that record was rarely at risk of ending here.
Ghana nevertheless battled brilliantly, as the nation ranked 73rd in the world – 69 places behind England – put up a determined defensive display.
The late decision by the Black Stars to appoint Portuguese veteran Carlos Queiroz as coach is looking increasingly justified, with this result following their opening 1-0 win over Panama. The 2010 quarter-finalists face Croatia next in Philadelphia.
Thomas Partey returned for Ghana after missing the Panama match in Toronto because Canadian authorities denied him a visa – the ex-Arsenal midfielder is facing trial on rape charges in the UK.
Asare, of local Ghana side Accra Hearts of Oak S.C., started in goal for the Ghanaians after coming on for the injured Lawrence Ati Zigi against Panama.
England’s inability to regularly test him will be a source of concern, as Harry Kane was kept quiet and failed to add to his 10 World Cup goals – he remains level with Gary Lineker for now as their all-time top scorer at the tournament.
Noni Madueke and Anthony Gordon were unable to make the difference on the wings and their substitutes could not have a decisive impact this time.
Jude Bellingham won his 50th cap as Marc Guehi and Djed Spence replaced John Stones and O’Reilly in the defence.
A Declan Rice free kick that sailed just over was about as close as England came in the opening half. In fact it took almost an hour for Asare to make a notable save, but it was a comfortable one to deny Gordon.
Ghana may feel Jordan Pickford should have been punished for charging out of his box and crashing into Prince Adu without touching the ball – but instead the goalkeeper was given a free kick.
There was also panic for England when substitute Adu ran through into the area but could not get a shot away.
Then the pressure was turned up a notch in the closing minutes, as Asare denied Bukayo Saka with a good stop low to his left before O’Reilly headed off the woodwork from close range and Kane blazed over.
Fulltime - England 0 Ghana 0
Cameron McMillan
While the likes of France, Argentina, Spain and Portugal produce strong results in their second matches, England produce a dud. It finishes 0-0. Ghana will be happy. Both teams go to four points which will be enough for the round of 32.
One more England corner
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Last chance for England here. But an England foul in the box and Ghana have a chance to clear away.
Another England corner
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Header cleared off the line. They get another corner but this time Benjamin Asare comes off his line and punches clear.
Two minutes left.
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England set for a 13th 0-0 draw at the World Cup. The most by any team.
90th minute + 6: Corner for England
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Time is running out. Can they do something with this corner? Declan Rice sends it in and the ball misses everyone and rolls out.
Six minutes of stoppage time
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89th minute - England keep coming
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Ghana with almost every player in the box. Rashford wins a header but Ghana win the foul. Referee gets that one wrong.
Almost into stoppage time.
87th minute - Oh so close for England
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Saka fires a shot from the outside of the box but Benjamin Asare dives low to make a save. England keep coming,.
Nico O'Reilly hits the crossbar with a header and the Kane then fires over the crossbar. Kane should have buried that from close range.
84th minute - Can either side find a late winner?
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England freekick wide on the right in line with the box but Saka finds a Ghana head and it's cleared.
Marcus Rashford on for Noni Madueke as England look for a winner.
80th minute - Ghana attack but a flag goes up
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Prince Kwabena Adu in space on attack and eyes a shot on Pickford but the flag goes up after he's shut down. May have been a decent shout for a penalty there by Ezri Konsa if not off side.
76th minute - England win corner
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Morgan Rogers makes an immediate impact on the righthand side and wins a corner. Ghana defend well and deny Noni Madueke a shot on goal before the ball comes off his foot and out for a goal kick.
Hydration break
Cameron McMillan
20 minutes to go in this one. England had three goals by this mark against Croatia. And there had been five in total.
Jude Bellingham comes off for Morgan Rogers
Elliot Anderson comes off for Eberechi Eze
70th minute - England keep coming, Ghana keep defending
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Great cross from Noni Madueke down the left and he finds Saka but his header sends it over the bar.
69th minute - Harry Kane on goal
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England win a turnover with the ball bouncing towards Kane, but his shot doesn't have enough on it and an easy save for Benjamin Asare.
68th minute - Pickford goes down
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Pickford and Prince Kwabena Adu collide as Ghana make a break. The England keeper comes out of the box and stops the attack but collects a knock on the shin. He's up.
64th minute - Another England shot goes wide
Cameron McMillan
At least they getting shots on but Ghana again defending well.
Bukayo Saka and Nico O'Reilly come on. Off come Gordan and Spence.
61st minute - England freekick
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Much better from England. Gordon again finds space wide left. He sends in a cross which is deflected but he's then taken out by Williams and England get a freekick not far from the corner flag.
Rice finds Anderson with a free header but Kwasi Sibo headers away for a corner. From the corner another free header but Elliot Anderson sends it over the crossbar.
58th minute - Finally England test the keeper
Cameron McMillan
It only took 58 minutes but like a London bus we get two shots arrive for England. Game on. Noni Madueke with a touch in the box then has a shot blocked. Then Gordon forces a save from Benjamin Asare. But it was straight at him.
56th minute - The poor execution continues for England
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Gordon sends in a cross for Kane but he is the only white shirt in the box and had five defenders around him - and the cross goes well over Kane's head.
Saka and Rashford warming up.
53rd minute - Another wasted England chance
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England take a quick free kick with Rice and Madueke but Madueke attempts a one-two and his touch is too long and the ball goes out for a goal kick.
How long before we see some changes?
Now Ghana win a corner. The corner goes over everyone, Ghana regain possession and Pickford is fouled on a cross.
51st minute - Ghana with another chance
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Marvin Senaya in the box as he beats Gordon to the ball. But again England shut it down. 50 minutes down, still no shots on goal.
48th minute - Ghana keep defending strong
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Anderson with another long wide ball from the back. That was the only way England created chances in the first half but Ghana are wise to it on both attempts this half.
Ghana then send a ball into the England box with a rare attacking chance but it is quickly sniffed out with Bellingham tracking back.
46th minute: What will England change?
Cameron McMillan
No changes to the team but they've got to try something different and get Karry Kane the ball. A long ball from Marc Guéhi doesn't find his man and Ghana clear.
Second half set to begin
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Out come the players for the second half. Hopefully we'll see an attempt on target.
England 'too safe'
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Alan Shearer as part of the BBC coverage: "It's been a frustrating half for England. There haven't been enough runners past Kane. There's not been enough balls through [the lines]. Everything has been too safe."
Halftime - England 0 Ghana 0
Cameron McMillan
A frustrating half for England with Ghana no doubt going into the break as the happier team. They just sat back hoping to counter and then had very few chances to do so and when the African side did get the ball they quickly gave it away.
These stats say it all:
Passes completed
England 335 Ghana 75
Shots on goal
England 0 Ghana 0
45th minute + 6: Madueke in the box
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Noni Madueke with a run into the box but he has four defenders surround him. He can't find a man or get a shot away.
45th minute + 6: Kane shot blocked
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First real chance to Kane. Rice feeds the England striker but there are three defenders around him and his shot goes out for a corner.
But again it's Marvin Senaya who wins the corner header and clears.
45th minute + 6: Now Ghana clear a corner
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Rice sends in the corner but Ghana get to first. Ghana have been very strong defensively so far after having a clean sheet against Panama they're set for another 45 minutes without giving up a goal.
45th minute - England defend corner
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Ezri Konsa headers the corner clear and there goes Ghana's only decent attacking chance of the half. Down the other end a long ball finds Bellingham and England win a corner.
42nd minute - Yellow card for Declan Rice
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He goes in a bit hard on Jerome Opoku and gets a card. Antoine Semenyo gets in the box but England shut down the dangerman. Jordan Ayew wins an attacking throw for Ghana though.
Semenyo has a shot blocked out for a corner. Best chance so for for Ghana.
40th minute - Ghana keep giving away the ball
Cameron McMillan
Marvin Senaya losses the ball from a searching long ball. Ghana just can't hold the ball for more than three passes. Elliot Anderson brings down Jordan Ayew and Ghana get a free kick just inside their own half. But the long ball is straight to an England head. Wasteful.
37th minute - Another England chance over the bar
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Noni Madueke again finds space on the right. He sends in a cross but Rice headers it over the crossbar.
Amazing stat
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Passes completed
England 242
Ghana 32
35h minute - Bellingham shot blocked
Cameron McMillan
Well that was a brief change of pace. Now we go back to England sitting on the edge of the attacking third trying to find a way into the box. First a Bellingham shot blocked, then a ball into the box finds Kane but again Ghana win it back.
England keep coming but how long before it becomes frustrating?
They get a rare counter chance and Gordon gets a cross into the box but again for nothing.
31st minute - Ghana freekick
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Ghana finally get forward but it doesn't last long as England re-gain possession. Now Ghana have a freekick inside England's half. There first chance of the game to enjoy time on attack.
Ayew sends it into the box but Marc Guéhi does well to win the header and a foul. England able to clear.
29th minute - Back to football
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Everyone has a drink, wouldn't be surprised if they brought out the tea trolly in this weather.
25th minute - Ghana sitting back
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Henderson sends a searching ball to Madueke on the right, he gets a touch but Ghana again manage to clear. James then sends a ball into the box but again Ghana get to it first.
Now we have a hydration break.
20th minute - Rain falling in Foxborough
Cameron McMillan
Ironic that there's a heatwave back in England but it's more like a wet night in Portsmouth at Foxborough. Another head knock sees players grab a quick drink before the expected hydration break.
Jordan Ayew down for Ghana and Reece James for England. Ayew receives some wrapping around his head.
17th minute - Corner for England
Cameron McMillan
A few attacking chances for England. Rice sets up the corner, which produced a goal against Croatia. Marvin Senaya gets a head on it and Ghana almost produce another corner before they clear. It's all England so far. The ball has been in Ghana's half most of the game.
14th minute - Rice overcooks the freekick
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Declan Rice goes for goal but sends it over the crossbar.
And now a clash of heads and Harry Kane goes down. It's up though.
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13th minute - Best chance so far for England
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Again England looks strong on the right as Noni Madueke gets to the edge of the goal line and passes back to Reece James who hits a low cross but Ghana manage to clear. Best chance so far for England.
England get another attacking free kick. This one around 30m out.
11th minute - Kane finds Bellingham in the box
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England in the box as Kane has three defenders around him but gets a ball to Bellingham but he has little time to get a touch before Ghana clear. Every Ghana player in their own third at the moment.
9th minute - Ghana look to counter
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Ghana happy to sit deep to begin the game. Marvin Senaya with room down England's right but Elliot Anderson gets the ball back for England.
7th minute - England waste freekick
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Declan Rice sends it in but Ghana clear. They look to counter but Gordon wins the tackle and England have possession again.
5th minute - Ghana offside on first attacking chance
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Flag goes up as Iñaki Williams looks to make a break. His brother Nico is playing for Spain at this World Cup.
England with a freekick now about 22m out.
3rd minute - England on the ball
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Patient start from England as they enjoy possession but sitting well outside the attacking third. Just playing it around their defenders as Ghana happy to sit back to start. They eventually find some room on the right with Reece James and Noni Madueke but can't get the ball into the box as Ghana finally the ball.
1st minute - England kick off
Cameron McMillan
And we're underway in Boston-ish. Declan Rice sends the ball back to Pickford and he aims well ahead of the head of Harry Kane. And England start with possession inside Ghana's half before moving back to Pickford and starting again at the back.
Man in the middle
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The referee is Said Martinez on Honduras. England are in their main white strip with blue shorts and Ghana in all yellow strip. Good to see.
Time for the anthems
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God Save the King and God Bless Our Homeland Ghana sound out around Foxborough. There are a few Ghana fans but as you'd expect the majority the crowd are wearing England colours.
Kickoff a few minutes away.
Out come the teams
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Harry Kane and Jordan Ayew lead their respective sides out. It's a wet day in Foxborough, home of the New England Patriots. Hopefully not heavy enough rain to cause the massive delay we saw yesterday between France and Iraq.
Again the question will be the need for a hydration break. It's around 19 degrees at the moment.
World Cup so far
Cameron McMillan
England opened with a 4-2 victory over Croatia after twice giving up the lead in the first half.
Ghana scored a late winner in the 95th minute to deny Panama meaning the winner of today's game will secure a spot in the round of 32.
Ghana have only won two group games once at a World Cup, back in 206 with victories over Czech Republic and USA.
Ghana players in EPL
Cameron McMillan
There's a few players in the Ghana side who play, or have played, in the EPL, mainly Antoine Semenyo who was born in London and made 101 appearances for Bournemouth before joining Manchester City in January. In scored the only goal in the FA Cup final against Chelsea. Captain Jordan Ayew has played for Crystal Palace and Leicester City, not EPL right now, and is looking for a new team after their relegation from the Championship.
Ghana team to face England
Cameron McMillan
Four changes to the side that edge Panama 1-0. Thomas Partey will start after he missed the opening game for a denied visa into Canada as he faces a trial for seven charges of rape and one count of sexual assault. He has pleaded not guilty. Ghana have also changed their goal after a clean sheet.
Ghana side: 16 Benjamin Asare, 14 Gideon Mensah, 18 Jerome Opoku, 4 Jonas Adjetey, 26 Marvin Senaya, 8 Kwasi Sibo, 5 Thomas Partey, 3 Caleb Yirenkyi, 11 Antoine Semenyo, 9 Jordan Ayew, 19 Iñaki Williams.
England team to face Ghana
Cameron McMillan
A couple of changes from the side that beat Croatia 4-2. Thomas Tuchel must not have been happy with those two goals allowed.
Marc Guehi comes in for John Stones and Djed Spence for Nico O'Reilly.
4-2-3-1 formation.
England side: 1 Jordan Pickford, 24 Reece James, 6 Marc Guéhi , 2 Ezri Konsa, 25 Djed Spence, 8 Elliot Anderson, 4 Declan Rice, 20 Noni Madueke, 10 Jude Bellingham, 18 Anthony Gordon, 9 Harry Kane.
Ronaldo makes history
Cameron McMillan
An action-packed morning already with Portugal putting five past Uzbekistan with Cristiano Ronaldo scoring a double.
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