England’s familiar second-game stutter resurfaced as Thomas Tuchel’s team were held to a goalless draw by a fiercely disciplined Ghana, leaving the race to top Group L finely poised.

Facing the second-lowest-ranked side at the tournament, England dominated the ball but rarely the contest. Ghana, compact and relentlessly organised, accepted long spells without possession and trusted their defensive structure to suffocate England’s array of attacking talent.

For all their early control, England created almost nothing of note. They completed close to 200 more passes than Ghana in the opening stages, yet the only clear first-half opportunity fell to Declan Rice, who headed over after Noni Madueke finally isolated his full-back and delivered a teasing cross.

Tuchel’s interval interventions had transformed England in their opening win over Croatia, but there was no repeat here. The tempo remained flat, the movement predictable, and Ghana grew in belief. Anthony Gordon’s tame effort straight at goalkeeper Benjamin Asare, 11 minutes after the restart, was England’s first shot on target.

Ghana then produced the game’s most contentious moment. Substitute Prince Adu burst in behind and appeared to be clipped by Ezri Konsa’s sliding challenge. To the astonishment of the Ghana bench, neither the referee nor VAR intervened. Head coach Carlos Queiroz later questioned whether the technology was even functioning, insisting it was a “clear penalty.”

England still should have escaped with victory. With three minutes remaining, Nico O’Reilly’s header crashed off the crossbar and dropped invitingly to Harry Kane. The captain, usually ruthless from such range, leaned back and lashed the rebound over with the goal unguarded. He later admitted he “couldn’t get over” the bouncing ball, shrugging it off as one of those chances that strikers sometimes miss.

Tuchel refused to criticise his players, praising Ghana’s physicality and commitment while lamenting a lack of luck in front of goal. Yet the draw exposed familiar concerns: sterile domination, limited penetration, and an overreliance on moments rather than sustained pressure.

Jude Bellingham, named player of the match, suggested the award should have gone to a Ghana defender and labelled the performance another bout of England’s “second-game fever.” With four points from two matches, progression remains firmly in England’s hands, but this was a sobering reminder that control without cutting edge rarely wins tournaments.