England, chasing their first World Cup title in 60 years, were held to a draw as they failed to break through Ghana's packed defense amid misfortune at the goal.
England drew 0-0 with Ghana in the second Group L match of the 2026 North America World Cup, held at Boston Stadium in Massachusetts on Tuesday (Korea time).
The draw left England and Ghana both on one win and one draw (four points), with England holding the lead on goal difference.
England attempted 18 shots but recorded only four on target against Ghana's packed, all-out defense. A decisive header that struck the crossbar added to their misfortune, and they had to settle for a single point.
Ghana, by contrast, managed just two shots, taking the field with a strategy aimed simply at avoiding defeat against England, and came away with one point.
England, who recorded a big win over Croatia in their opening match, lined up in a 4-2-3-1 formation with star striker Harry Kane leading the front line. Ghana, who had beaten Panama in their first match, countered with a 4-1-4-1 formation featuring veteran forward Jordan Ayew.
With England pressing aggressively from early in the first half, Ghana deployed Thomas Partey — who had been denied entry into Canada over rape charges — as a defensive midfielder for the first time, adopting a defend-first, counterattack approach.
Struggling to create shooting chances against Ghana's strong defensive setup, England earned their first opportunity from a free kick in the 14th minute, but Declan Rice's right-footed shot drifted just over the crossbar.
Kane, closely marked by Ghana's defenders, received a through pass from Rice around the third minute of first-half stoppage time. He shook off the attention of four opposing defenders and attempted a shot from the left side of the penalty area, but it was blocked by the defensive wall.
England, who dominated the attack one-sidedly, were blocked by Ghana's packed defense throughout the first half and failed to record a single shot on target out of six attempts. Ghana, sitting deep, finished the half with "zero shots."
After a scoreless first half, Ghana recorded their first shot of the match 50 minutes in, when Marvin Senaya received a pass into the space behind the defense in the fifth minute of the second half and cut into the right side of the penalty area, his right-footed shot blocked by England's defensive wall.
England, raising the intensity of their offense, continued to knock on Ghana's door but could hardly break down the defensive wall packed into the penalty area.
In the 24th minute of the second half, Kane's left-footed shot from near the left of the penalty arc went straight at the goalkeeper, and a minute later, Bukayo Saka's header in front of goal sailed over the crossbar, wasting their efforts.
England ramped up their late offensive, and in the 42nd minute of the second half, Saka's left-footed shot from the right of the penalty arc was saved by the goalkeeper. In the ensuing attack, Nico O'Reilly's header in front of goal struck the crossbar, squandering a decisive goal chance.
When O'Reilly's header bounced off the goal frame, Kane fired a powerful left-footed shot from in front of the goal area, but this time it sailed well over the crossbar, leaving England unable to find the net.
