England and Ghana draw 0-0 as Group L race stays tight

England were held to a 0-0 draw by Ghana in their Group L World Cup match on Tuesday at Gillette Stadium near Boston, leaving both teams on four points with one game remaining. England dominated possession and finished with 19 shots to Ghana’s two, but struggled to create clear chances and could not beat Ghana’s stand-in goalkeeper Benjamin Asare. A crowd of 63,983 watched a result that left the fight for first place in the group unresolved.

Thomas Tuchel’s side could not match the attacking output of their opening 4-2 win over Croatia, producing a more laboured display in cool, damp conditions. Ghana, ranked 73rd in the world, defended deep and in numbers, limiting England to efforts from distance or from wide areas. With two matches played, both teams remain well placed to progress, but final positions in the group are still in the balance.

England’s best opening-half chance came from a Declan Rice free-kick that drifted just over. It took almost an hour for Asare to be properly worked, with the goalkeeper making a comfortable save to deny Anthony Gordon. England continued to push, but the final pass and the finishing touch were inconsistent.

Nico O’Reilly went closest late on, heading against the crossbar as England increased the pressure in the closing minutes. Asare then made a better stop low to his left from Bukayo Saka, while Harry Kane blazed over as England searched for a breakthrough. Ghana had fewer attacking moments but threatened through substitute Prince Adu, including a run into the area where he could not get a shot away.

Key incidents and discipline claims

Ghana felt England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford should have been punished after charging out and colliding with Adu without appearing to touch the ball, but Pickford was awarded a free-kick. England, for their part, rarely looked in danger on the counter but were unable to turn territorial control into a decisive chance.

The result kept England’s World Cup record of not losing to African opposition intact. Kane, who has 10 World Cup goals, did not add to his tournament total and remains level with Gary Lineker in England’s World Cup scoring list, according to the match report.

Group L set for decisive final matches

For Ghana, the draw followed an opening 1-0 win over Panama and underlined the defensive resilience that has kept their campaign on track. Asare started after coming on for injured goalkeeper Lawrence Ati Zigi in the opener and largely faced shots from less dangerous areas despite England’s volume.

England will play Panama at MetLife Stadium on Saturday, while Ghana face Croatia next in Philadelphia. With both teams on four points, the final round of fixtures will decide who tops Group L and how the knockout-stage bracket takes shape.

England will look for a sharper attacking edge in their final group match, while Ghana will aim to carry the same defensive discipline into the meeting with Croatia.