Ghana frustrate England in Group L stalemate
Ghana coach Carlos Queiroz expressed immense pride in his team's defensive resilience after the Black Stars held England to a goalless draw in their FIFA World Cup 2026 Group L encounter at Boston Stadium on Tuesday. The result leaves Ghana on the brink of securing a knockout stage berth.
England, coming off a 4-2 victory over Croatia, were expected to maintain their attacking momentum but found themselves stifled by a well-organized Ghana side. The draw means both teams share the points, with Ghana earning a crucial point in their quest for progression.
Queiroz praises tactical discipline and fighting spirit
After the match, Queiroz lauded his players' commitment to the game plan. "I am so proud of the way our players fought during the game, how much they stand behind the plan, the game plan," said Queiroz, as quoted by Reuters. "When you have to defend, you defend. I cannot play samba when they play rock and roll. That's the name of the game, but the goal was exactly to finish the first half with the England team frustrated, with no solutions."
Queiroz emphasized that his players always believed they could compete against a strong England side, which he considers a World Cup contender. "My players always believed that we had the chance to win against a great team. I will say, my humble opinion, England, they can be candidates to win the World Cup. But this is a result, an achievement," he added.
England dominate possession but fail to break through
England controlled possession throughout the match but struggled to penetrate Ghana's compact five-man defensive line. The first half saw no shots on target from either side, with England limited to long-range attempts. Ghana grew into the game after halftime, according to Queiroz, who noted that England seemed to lack solutions. "When they went into halftime, they knew they don't have solutions to beat us and that was when we started to grow up and control the game. We could have scored. Unfortunately, we didn't do it, but I think also England could score. So a draw is a fair result," he said.
Second-half substitutions and late chances
In the second half, England introduced Bukayo Saka, Marcus Rashford, and Eberechi Eze to add attacking threat, which improved their urgency. However, Ghana continued to defend resolutely, blocking key openings. England's best chance came late when Nico O'Reilly hit the crossbar and Harry Kane missed the rebound, while another effort was cleared off the line in stoppage time. Despite sustained pressure, England failed to score, with Ghana earning a valuable point through a strong defensive display.
