England held to 0-0 draw by Ghana in World Cup group match

England's hopes of securing an early passage into the World Cup knockout rounds were stalled after a frustrating 0-0 draw with Ghana on Tuesday, June 23, at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. The result leaves significant work to do in their final Group L match.

Following an emphatic 4-2 opening victory over Croatia, England dominated possession against Ghana but struggled to break down a resolute, deep-lying defense. The team failed to register a shot on target in the first half, a first for the 2026 tournament's group stage. Their best chance came late when substitute Nico O'Reilly's header struck the crossbar in the 86th minute, with captain Harry Kane firing the rebound over.

Ghana, which opened its campaign with a 1-0 win over Panama, offered little attacking threat but defended compactly to earn a valuable point. The African side's best opportunity arose in the 78th minute when Prince Adu was challenged from behind by England defender Ezri Konsa in the penalty area, but no foul was awarded.

The performance raised immediate questions about England's creativity against defensive opponents, dampening the optimism generated by the win over Croatia. Wide players...