England were held to a frustrating goalless draw by a disciplined Ghana side at Boston Stadium, with former England captain Wayne Rooney labelling it a “typical Carlos Queiroz performance”.
Both teams entered the Group L clash having won their opening matches — England beating Croatia 4-2, Ghana edging Panama 1-0 — but the Three Lions were unable to break down an organised Black Stars defence.
‘That was a typical Carlos Queiroz performance’
Speaking on BBC One, Rooney praised Ghana’s tactical execution:
“You’re always hoping for that energy and that performance that we had against Croatia in the second half. These games are so difficult when the teams sit back. You have to break them down, and you have to find the space. For me, the key was getting crosses into the box. That is where all the chances came from.”
Rooney concluded: “That was a typical Carlos Queiroz performance. Ghana were excellent and they were disciplined”.
It was a warning the former England captain had sounded before kick-off. Rooney had described Ghana as “strong and technically very good”, adding: “I wouldn’t want to play Ghana”. He warned England would “have to work extremely hard” against them.
Queiroz’s mind games
The 73-year-old Portuguese coach, overseeing his fifth World Cup, had framed the clash as the “easiest type of game” because facing England required no motivational speeches. He also claimed all the pressure was on Thomas Tuchel’s side, telling his players: “We know they have the three lions on their shirt, but we come from Ghana and have 33 million lions”.
A historic low for attacking football
The first half produced a remarkable statistic: no shots on target from either side — the first match of the 2026 World Cup to achieve that unwanted feat. It was also the first game without a single save in the opening 45 minutes.
England dominated possession with 78% but struggled to find space against a deep, compact Ghana defence. The game’s first save arrived in the 57th minute when Ghana goalkeeper Benjamin Asare denied Anthony Gordon from inside the box.
Pickford’s lucky escape
The game’s most controversial moment came just before half-time when England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford rushed recklessly from his line and collided with Ghana’s Prince Adu outside the area. Neither player got the ball, and referee awarding a free-kick to England sparked disbelief. Former England striker Alan Shearer said Pickford was “caught in no man’s land”, while ex-England keeper Paul Robinson called it a “wrong decision”, adding Pickford “has got lucky”.
What it means
England, who have not won the second match of a major tournament after winning the first since the 2018 World Cup, missed the chance to seal knockout qualification. Ghana, ranked 65th in the world, proved once again why they are one of Africa’s most resilient World Cup sides.
Both teams remain well placed to advance, but England’s attacking firepower — so evident against Croatia — was effectively neutralised by a Queiroz masterclass that Rooney and millions of viewers could only admire from afar.
