Ghana head coach Carlos Queiroz praised his players after their disciplined performance earned a deserved 0-0 draw against World Cup contenders England in Group L on Tuesday, a result that leaves the Black Stars on the verge of securing a place in the knockout stage.
England dominated possession throughout much of the contest, enjoying close to 80 percent of the ball for long periods in the first half. However, Ghana’s organised defensive structure frustrated the Three Lions and restricted them to very few clear scoring opportunities.
The African side worked tirelessly to close down space around their penalty area and regularly doubled up on England’s attacking players whenever they threatened to break through.
Their defensive discipline helped produce a unique statistic. The match became the first game at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in which neither team managed a shot on target during the entire first half.
Queiroz, appearing at his fifth World Cup as a head coach, expressed pride in the way his players executed the game plan against one of the tournament favourites.
“I am so proud of the way our players fought during the game, how much they stand behind the plan, the game plan,” Queiroz told reporters after the final whistle.
“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 continued to control possession after the break, but Ghana remained compact and disciplined. Harry Kane finally registered England’s first shot on target in the 59th minute as Gareth Southgate’s side increased the pressure.
The Three Lions came closest to a winner late in the match when Nico O’Reilly headed against the crossbar before Kane blazed over from close range. Despite those chances, Ghana stood firm and secured a valuable point.
The draw moved Ghana onto four points from two matches following their opening 1-0 victory over Panama. England also sit on four points after defeating Croatia 4-2 in their first game.
Although Ghana have not yet mathematically secured qualification, Queiroz believes his side have taken a major step toward the Round of 32.
“The first goal, it’s achieved, we qualify for the second round,” said Queiroz.
Croatia and Panama, both without a point after their opening matches, were due to meet later on Tuesday. The top two teams from each group advance automatically, while the eight best third-placed teams also progress to the knockout stage.
Queiroz also revealed that his players never doubted their ability to compete with one of the strongest teams at the tournament.
“My players always believed that we had the chance to win against a great team. I will say, (in) my humble opinion, England, they can be candidates to win the World Cup. But this is a result, an achievement.”
The former Manchester United assistant manager felt Ghana grew in confidence as the game progressed and believed England became increasingly frustrated by their inability to find a breakthrough.
“When they (England) went into half-time, 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.”
The result strengthens Ghana’s hopes of reaching the knockout rounds and underlines the resilience that Queiroz has instilled in his squad. While England remain favourites to top the group, the Black Stars left Boston with renewed belief and one foot firmly in the next stage of the competition.
