2026 World Cup: England are kept in check by a stubborn Ghana side
Four days after their eye-catching win over Croatia, England were brought back down to earth. At Foxborough, in steady rain, Thomas Tuchel’s side could not find a way through a disciplined, well-drilled Ghana team. It finished 0-0 in a tight, scrappy contest, with England creating precious little despite enjoying the lion’s share of possession.
After their second group game, the Three Lions are still in a strong position to qualify, but the confidence they picked up on opening day took a fair battering.
Ghana stood firm from start to finish
The Black Stars’ plan worked. They sat deep, kept their shape and let England have the ball while shutting down the space. Cross after cross came in, none of them causing real trouble, and England’s forwards were often crowded out before they could even get a shot away. The game was also broken up by a string of stoppages. A clash between Jordan Ayew and Reece James in the first half led to a long delay, killing what little rhythm there was in an already dull match.
Ghana could even have made something of a few quick breaks after the restart. Marvin Senaya gave the first warning signs, while Prince Adu forced Jordan Pickford to rush out of his area several times to snuff out the danger. As the minutes passed, the mood shifted. Ghana started to believe, while England grew more and more frustrated.
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A frustrating night for Harry Kane
The story of the night was probably Harry Kane. Barely involved in the opposition box, the England captain had a quiet evening by his standards. His best chance came with just a few minutes left. Clean through, in a position he buries almost every time, the Bayern Munich striker lifted his effort over the bar. It summed up England’s blunt attack in one moment.
Anthony Gordon did test the keeper in the second half, Bukayo Saka forced Benjamin Asare into a save and Nico O’Reilly then struck the post. Still, nothing shifted. Even in the dying seconds, when Marc Guéhi thought he had won it for England, a Ghana defender hacked the ball off the line.
Ghana head home with a deserved point. England, though, will need to come back sharper in their next outing if they want to back up their status as contenders at this World Cup.
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