England struggled at the World Cup as they were held to a 0-0 draw by Ghana in a Group L match played at Gillette Stadium near Boston. Despite dominating possession and firing 19 shots compared to Ghana's two, Thomas Tuchel's side could not beat backup goalkeeper Benjamin Asare.
Among the 63,983 spectators, the closest England came to scoring was a late header from Nico O'Reilly that hit the crossbar. The performance raised questions about the Three Lions' depth after their impressive 4-2 win over Croatia in the opener.
Both teams now have four points and are almost certain to advance to the round of 16, but the final standings in Group L remain undecided. England need only a draw against Panama on Saturday at MetLife Stadium to secure top spot and focus on the knockout stage.
Ghana, ranked 73rd in the world—69 places below England—showed tremendous fighting spirit. The late appointment of Carlos Queiroz as head coach is proving effective after a 1-0 win over Panama in the first round. The African side will face Croatia in Philadelphia in their final group match.
Thomas Partey returned to the lineup after missing the Panama game due to visa issues with Canadian authorities. Benjamin Asare of local club Hearts of Oak started after replacing the injured Lawrence Ati Zigi in the previous match.
England's lack of efficiency in putting pressure on the opposition goal is a concern. Harry Kane was well marshaled and failed to add to his tally of nine World Cup goals, remaining level with Gary Lineker as the tournament's all-time top scorer. Noni Madueke and Anthony Gordon could not make a difference on the flanks, while substitutes also failed to have a decisive impact.
Jude Bellingham earned his 50th cap, while Marc Guehi and Djed Spence replaced John Stones and O'Reilly in defense. A Declan Rice free kick that sailed over the bar was the best chance of the first half. Asare made his first meaningful save late on, denying Gordon's effort.
The most controversial moment came when goalkeeper Jordan Pickford rushed out of his box and collided with Prince Adu without touching the ball, but the referee ruled it a foul by the Ghana forward. Late in the game, Asare brilliantly saved a Bukayo Saka shot before O'Reilly's header hit the bar and Kane's follow-up sailed over.
