A resolute Ghana side stood firm against relentless English pressure to claim a valuable point in a goalless Group L encounter at Boston Stadium on Tuesday night, with Antoine Semenyo admitting the Black Stars had to dig deep for long spells of the contest.
For much of the evening, Ghana were forced into a defensive battle as England dictated proceedings and enjoyed overwhelming control of possession. Despite spending most of the match in their own half, the Black Stars remained organised and disciplined, frustrating the Three Lions at every turn.
England finished with 79 per cent possession, the highest share of the ball recorded by a team that failed to score in a World Cup match in six decades. Yet their dominance produced little reward as Ghana’s defensive structure held firm from start to finish.
Semenyo revealed the team had anticipated such a challenge and approached the game knowing resilience would be crucial.
“We defended for most of the game. We knew it would be like that. We needed to stay in our shape and put our bodies on the line. We did that today,” he told the BBC.
The Bournemouth forward acknowledged that sacrificing attacking involvement was part of the team’s game plan.
“Every attacker wants to be on the ball rather than off the ball, but it’s what the team needed.”
Ghana’s approach centred on maintaining shape and limiting England’s space rather than committing numbers forward. According to Semenyo, the squad understood before kick-off that opportunities in attack would be limited.
“It was tough today. Props to the team, we knew we wouldn’t have much of the ball and go forward as much as we wanted to. Hopefully, we can go on to get through.”
The striker also reflected on a second-half opening that nearly handed Ghana a famous victory, explaining that the moment unfolded too quickly for him to react as he wanted.
“It happened so fast, I tried to move out of the way. We get forward really quickly. We’re unlucky not to get that goal.”
The draw leaves Ghana and England tied on four points at the summit of Group L, setting up a tense final round of fixtures.
England will take on Panama in their last group match, while Ghana face Croatia in a decisive showdown with a place in the knockout stage still up for grabs.
