FIFA World Cup 2026: Ghana coach Queiroz hails team's fighting display in goalless draw against England

Ghana coach Carlos Queiroz lauded his team's resilience following a hard-fought goalless draw against England in their FIFA World Cup 2026 Group L match. The result at Boston Stadium on Tuesday (local time) significantly boosts Ghana's chances of reaching the knockout stage.

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I am so proud of the way our players fought during the game, how much they stand behind the plan, the game plan. 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.

England, expected to build on their previous victory, were frustrated by a disciplined Ghana side. Queiroz emphasized his players' commitment to the game plan, stating, "When you have to defend, you defend. I cannot play samba when they play rock and roll." He aimed to leave England "frustrated, with no solutions" by halftime.

Queiroz expressed pride in his team's belief and ability to compete against a strong England squad, whom he considers World Cup contenders. "My players always believed that we had the chance to win against a great team," he said. The draw, he noted, was a "valuable achievement for Ghana."

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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.

Despite England's possession dominance, Ghana's compact five-man defense limited their opportunities. After halftime, Ghana grew more confident, controlling the game and creating their own chances. While England introduced attacking reinforcements, Ghana's resolute defense, including a late goal-line clearance, secured the crucial point. Queiroz deemed the 0-0 draw a fair reflection of the match, acknowledging both teams had opportunities to score.

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When they (England) 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.