Ghana produced a disciplined defensive performance to hold England to a goalless draw at the 2026 FIFA World Cup and remain firmly in contention for a place in the round of 32.

The Black Stars, organised and compact throughout, frustrated Thomas Tuchel’s side at Boston Stadium and moved to four points from two matches in Group L.

England dominated possession but struggled to break down Carlos Queiroz’s team, who defended with patience, courage and concentration.

Goalkeeper Benjamin Asare made important second-half saves, while Ghana’s back line repeatedly blocked, cleared and disrupted England’s attacks.

The result means both Ghana and England will enter the final round of group matches with four points each.

A draw for Ghana against Croatia on 27 June would be enough to take the Black Stars into the knockout stage.

England arrived with momentum after their 4-2 victory over Croatia in their opening match, but Ghana gave them a very different challenge.

Queiroz set his team up in a compact 4-5-1 shape, denying England space between the lines and forcing them to play in front of the Ghanaian block.

It was not always pretty, but it was effective.

Ghana’s plan was clear: stay organised, reduce central spaces, protect Asare and wait for moments to counter.

England had much of the ball in the first half, but there was little real danger.

Their best opening before the break came when Declan Rice sent a looping header over the crossbar.

Tuchel’s side had six first-half shots but none on target, a reflection of how well Ghana closed the spaces and forced England into uncomfortable positions.

The Ghana supporters inside the stadium recognised the effort and greeted their team warmly at half-time.

England increased the pressure after the interval, but Ghana continued to defend with discipline.

Elliot Anderson had a close-range header blocked before Anthony Gordon drove an effort straight into Asare’s body.

Harry Kane then tested the Ghana goalkeeper with a low shot, but Asare was again equal to the task.

Tuchel turned to his bench in search of a breakthrough, introducing players he hoped would add pace and sharper movement in the final third.

Bukayo Saka forced Asare into a low save, while England began to send more crosses into dangerous areas.

Marvin Senaya, Jonas Adjetey, Jerome Opoku and Gideon Mensah stood up to the pressure, while the midfield worked tirelessly to screen the defence.

For long periods, the match became a test of Ghana’s concentration.

Ghana nearly punish England late on.

Although Ghana spent much of the match defending, they were not without threat.

Their best moment came with just under 10 minutes remaining when they sliced England open on the counter-attack.

Abdul Fatawu was sent through against Jordan Pickford and looked set to give Ghana a famous lead.

Ezri Konsa recovered to block the first attempt, before Fatawu’s follow-up was stopped close to the line by team-mate Antoine Semenyo.

There was also a moment of controversy when Ghana appealed loudly for a penalty after Prince Adu got away inside the area and Konsa made a desperate challenge.

The referee allowed play to continue, with England relieved to escape.

That incident underlined the danger Ghana still carried despite England’s control of possession.

Queiroz’s side had come to defend, but they also came close to finding the decisive moment.

England’s clearest chance arrived in the 87th minute. Reece James delivered from the right and substitute Nico O’Reilly met the cross at the back post, only to see his header come back off the crossbar.

The loose ball dropped to Kane, but the England captain fired high over the bar from a promising position.

In stoppage time, Marc Guehi also saw a header cleared from near the line as Ghana survived one final wave of pressure.

For England, it was a frustrating return to familiar problems against a deep defensive block.

For Ghana, it was a point earned through structure, belief and sacrifice.

Qualification now within Ghana’s reach

The draw leaves Group L finely balanced, but Ghana are in a strong position.

The Black Stars beat Panama in their opening game and have now taken a point from one of the group favourites.

Their final match against Croatia will decide their fate, but they know qualification is in their own hands.

For Queiroz, this was a performance built on experience and tactical discipline.

For Ghana, it was also a reminder that progress at a World Cup is not always about attacking fireworks.

Sometimes, it is about resilience, organisation and refusing to be broken.

Against England, the Black Stars showed all three.