World Cup 2026: Declan Rice jokes about ‘black magic’ after Ghana’s draw against England

England midfielder Declan Rice jokingly suggested that “black magic” may have helped Ghana frustrate the Three Lions after the Black Stars secured a goalless draw in their Group L encounter at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Ghana delivered one of their most disciplined performances of the tournament in Foxborough, Massachusetts, earning a valuable point that strengthened their hopes of reaching the knockout stage.

England dominate possession but fail to score

Despite controlling large portions of the match and creating several opportunities, England were unable to find a breakthrough against Ghana’s compact defensive setup.

The Three Lions pushed relentlessly in search of a winning goal, but the Black Stars stood firm throughout the contest.

Speaking after the match, Rice admitted England had tried everything possible to break down Ghana’s defence.

“Credit to Ghana, they defended well. We tried everything. Shots, headers, set-pieces… nothing worked. I don’t know… maybe the black magic was working,” Rice said with a smile.

Benjamin Asare shines for Ghana again

Ghana goalkeeper Benjamin Asare once again emerged as one of the standout performers of the match.

The shot-stopper produced a brilliant late save to deny England captain Harry Kane, preserving another clean sheet for the Black Stars.

England came close again moments later when substitute Nico O’Reilly saw his powerful header crash against the crossbar during a frantic finish to the game.

Ghana’s defence becoming one of the stories of the tournament

After opening the tournament with a 1-0 victory over Panama, Ghana followed it up with another clean sheet against England, leaving Carlos Queiroz’s side among the few teams yet to concede a goal at the World Cup.

Rice praised the discipline and determination shown by the four-time African champions, acknowledging the quality of their defensive display.

Ghana edge closer to knockout qualification

The draw leaves England and Ghana well placed in Group L heading into the final round of matches.

For Ghana, the result was another statement performance on the world stage as they moved a step closer to reaching the knockout rounds.

While Rice’s “black magic” comment was clearly made jokingly, Ghana’s defensive resilience left England searching for answers after another frustrating night in front of goal.