England suffered a World Cup setback as Ghana held Thomas Tuchel’s side to a goalless draw, leaving them with work still to do in their bid to progress to the knockout stage as the Group L winners.
England took 57 minutes to muster a shot on target and once again lived dangerously in defence, surviving anxious moments when Ghana hit them on the counter-attack as the contest became a disjointed affair, in a game Thomas Tuchel’s side knew would confirm a place in the last 32 if they were able to get all the 3 points.
They dominated possession and had 19 shots at goal to their opponents’ two, yet they 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.
Tuchel turned to Bukayo Saka, whose minutes are being managed because of a lingering injury problem, and replaced Jude Bellingham with Morgan Rogers in an attempt to break the stalemate. Saka forced a fine save from Ghana keeper Benjamin Asare, while another substitute Nico O’Reilly headed against the bar, leaving Tuchel and England to settle for a point.
After the promise of their opening 4-2 win over Croatia, this was a performance that will raise doubts as to England’s chances of going all the way and winning the tournament.
England have still never lost to an African opposition at the World Cup, and that record was rarely at risk of ending here.
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.
