World Cup Favorites England Held to 0-0 Draw by Ghana

2026 World Cup Key News

(CNA) Boston, USA, June 23 (Reuters) - World Cup favorites England hit a wall today, drawing 0-0 with Ghana's "Black Stars," failing to secure their group's top spot early and needing to continue working hard on their path to the knockout stage.

According to AFP, England, led by head coach Thomas Tuchel, delivered a disappointing performance after their 4-2 victory over Croatia in the first match, raising questions about their ability to go all the way and win the championship.

Although England controlled possession throughout the match and led significantly in shots with 19 to 2, they rarely posed a real threat to Ghana's substitute goalkeeper Benjamin Asare. The match was held at Gillette Stadium in Boston, with 63,983 fans in attendance.

In the first half, England's closest chance came from a free kick by Declan Rice, which narrowly went over the crossbar. In fact, it wasn't until nearly an hour into the game that Asare made his first significant save, easily blocking a shot from Anthony Gordon.

England also had a scare when Ghana's substitute Prince Adu broke into the penalty area but failed to get a shot off.

Pressure mounted in the final stages of the match. Asare made a brilliant save against Bukayo Saka's low shot, followed by Nico O'Reilly's header hitting the post from close range, and then Harry Kane shot an opportunity high. Ultimately, the two teams had to settle for a 0-0 draw.

Both teams currently have 4 points in Group L, with one group match remaining for each. Advancement to the next round is almost certain, but the final standings are yet to be determined.

However, this draw did not have serious consequences, and England moved one step closer to the Round of 32. As long as they earn points against Panama on the 27th, they can shift their focus to the knockout stage.

The decision by Ghana to temporarily appoint Carlos Queiroz as head coach before the match seems increasingly reasonable. After their 1-0 victory over Panama in the first match, they successfully drew with England and will face Croatia in their next game. (Compiled by Hsu Rui-cheng) 1150624

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