Ghana head coach Carlos Queiroz has praised his side’s organisation and resilience after their 0-0 draw with England in Foxborough, describing the result as a fair reflection of a tightly contested Group L encounter.
The Black Stars, who opened their campaign with a 1-0 victory over Panama, produced a compact defensive display on Tuesday night at the Boston Stadium to frustrate a dominant England side that controlled long spells of possession but failed to convert their superiority into goals.
Queiroz said his players executed their tactical plan with precision against one of the tournament favourites, highlighting their discipline and collective effort throughout the match.
“The first goal is achieved, and we qualified for the second round,” the former Egypt and Iran coach said after the game.
“I am so proud of the way our players fought during the game and how much they stand behind the game plan. They always believed.”
The Portuguese coach also acknowledged England’s strength while defending Ghana’s pragmatic approach, suggesting that containment was a necessary strategy against elite opposition.
“My humble opinion is that England can be a candidate to win the World Cup. It is a gift for our fans. It is a gift for some of the players we lost.
“That’s the way to win when you have to defend, you defend. I cannot play samba when they play rock and roll.”
Queiroz added that Ghana’s objective was to frustrate England early and grow into the contest, insisting that both teams had opportunities to win.
“The goal was to finish the first half with the England team frustrated and no solution to beat us. That was when we started to grow up and control the game. We could score, but unfortunately, we didn’t do it. I think England could score, so a draw was a fair result.”
Despite the draw, Queiroz framed the outcome as part of a wider target already achieved, stressing that qualification remains the priority.
“Happiness. Win is happiness, but in this moment, the win is nothing. We reached the second stage, which was the goal.”
England now shift focus to their next fixture against Panama, while Ghana prepare for a decisive final group match against Croatia, with qualification to the knockout stage still within reach.
