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England held to goalless draw by stubborn Ghana
🇳🇱 Netherlands /Sports

England held to goalless draw by stubborn Ghana

From NRC Handelsblad · () Dutch

Translated from Dutch, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • England drew 0-0 with Ghana in their second group match, leaving both teams with 4 points and likely advancing.
  • Ghana's defensive strategy neutralized England's attack, resulting in a goalless first half with no shots on target from either side.
  • England made several substitutions in the second half but failed to score, with a late header hitting the crossbar.

England failed to secure a victory against a defensively solid Ghana, settling for a disappointing 0-0 draw in their second group stage match. The result leaves both teams with 4 points, a total that typically guarantees progression to the next round of the tournament.

Ghana's tactical approach effectively stifled England's offense throughout the game. Despite enjoying nearly 80% possession in the first half, England struggled to create meaningful chances. Ghana's aggressive pressing on captain Harry Kane and other attackers immediately upon them becoming dangerous prevented any significant threats. The first half concluded without a single shot on target from either team, a rare occurrence at the World Cup.

I just didn't get the ball quite right under control. But yeah, usually I score chances like that. That's just football. I've played long enough as a striker to know they don't always go in, so I have to accept it.

— Harry KaneEngland captain Harry Kane reflects on his missed late chance.

In an attempt to break the deadlock, England manager Thomas Tuchel introduced several attacking substitutions, including Bukayo Saka, Nico O’Reilly, Morgan Rogers, Eberechi Eze, and Marcus Rashford. However, these changes did not yield the desired result. Ghana, who had secured a late win against Panama, attempted to counterattack with speed through Antoine Semenyo and Prince Kwabena Adu. England's best opportunity came in the 86th minute when O’Reilly's header struck the crossbar, and Kane's rebound shot went over.

Reflecting on the missed chance, Kane stated, "I just didn't get the ball quite right under control. But yeah, usually I score chances like that. That's just football. I've played long enough as a striker to know they don't always go in, so I have to accept it." Ghana's coach, Carlos Queiroz, praised his team's adherence to the game plan, saying, "I am so proud of the way our players fought and how well they stuck to the tactical plan." He added, "They had to frustrate England, and they did it well."

I am so proud of the way our players fought and how well they stuck to the tactical plan.

— Carlos QueirozGhana's coach Carlos Queiroz praises his team's performance and adherence to strategy.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by NRC Handelsblad in Dutch. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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