England suffer World Cup setback as Ghana dig deep to earn draw

England missed the opportunity to book their place in the World Cup knockout stages after being frustrated by a disciplined Ghana side in a goalless draw in Boston.Having dazzled in their opening 4-2 victory over Croatia, Thomas Tuchel's men arrived at Boston Stadium knowing another three points would guarantee progression to the last 32.Instead, they produced a far less convincing display, struggling to find any rhythm against opponents who defended resolutely and looked dangerous whenever they broke forward.England dominated possession for long spells but lacked the creativity and cutting edge that had overwhelmed Croatia just six days earlier. TRENDING Stories Videos Your Say Tuchel's side were forced to wait until the 57th minute to register their first effort on target, underlining their difficulties in unlocking Ghana's well-organised back line.At the other end, England endured several uncomfortable moments as Ghana threatened on the counter-attack, exposing vulnerabilities that have lingered despite the encouraging result in their tournament opener.The contest often descended into a stop-start affair, with neither team able to establish sustained momentum as challenges, stoppages and misplaced passes disrupted the flow.Recognising the need for fresh impetus, Tuchel turned to his bench in the second half.Bukayo Saka was introduced despite the winger continuing to have his minutes carefully managed because of an Achilles issue that has troubled him in recent weeks.The England manager also made the eye-catching decision to withdraw Jude Bellingham and send on Aston Villa midfielder Morgan Rogers in an attempt to inject more energy into the attack.LATEST SPORTS NEWS:Fifa ban commentator from World Cup after furious meltdownCristiano Ronaldo screams two-word message down camera after firing Portugal to Uzbekistan World Cup winEngland star appears to snub Thomas Partey handshake before Ghana World Cup clashSaka almost delivered the breakthrough shortly after entering the fray.The Arsenal forward cut inside and tested Benjamin Asare with a low effort that forced the Ghana goalkeeper into an excellent save.England came even closer moments later when substitute Nico O'Reilly rose highest inside the penalty area, only to see his header crash against the crossbar.Harry Kane then blazed over the rebound from close range.Marc Guehi also thought he had finally beaten Asare, but his close-range header was brilliantly cleared off the line as Ghana clung on.Despite the late pressure, England were unable to find a decisive moment and were left to settle for a point.The draw keeps Tuchel's side at the top of Group L, though their qualification hopes will now be determined in their final group fixture against Panama.England remain in a strong position to progress, but the performance will give Tuchel plenty to ponder.After the attacking fluency and intensity shown against Croatia, expectations had risen that England could establish themselves as one of the tournament favourites.Instead, Ghana provided a timely reminder that World Cup football is rarely straightforward.England are still unbeaten under Tuchel and remain masters of their own destiny, but they will need to rediscover the spark that lit up their opening match if they are to make a serious challenge for the trophy.For now, the wait to secure a place in the knockout stages goes on. Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter