'England were extremely lucky' - Former PL referee agrees Ghana were robbed in 2026 FIFA World Cup tie

England’s high-flying start to the 2026 FIFA World Cup crashed back down to earth on Tuesday, as Thomas Tuchel’s side was held to a frustrating 0-0 draw by Ghana at Boston Stadium.

But while the headline statistics point to an agonisingly one-sided affair, a massive refereeing controversy has stolen the spotlight, with former Premier League official Mark Halsey claiming Ghana was denied a clear penalty.

Despite ruling territory with an overwhelming 79% possession and outshooting the Black Stars 19 to 2, the Three Lions lacked clinical execution in the final third.

Yet, it was a rapid second-half break from Ghana substitute Prince Kwabena Adu that triggered the game's defining debate.

The forward raced through one-on-one toward Jordan Pickford, only to be clattered on the edge of the area following a desperate tracking challenge from England defender Ezri Konsa.

Honduran referee Said Martínez waved play on, and VAR conspicuously chose not to intervene, a choice that has left analysts stunned.

Analysing the high-stakes flashpoint in a video breakdown shared by The Sun, former top-flight referee Halsey did not mince words.

He insisted that Tuchel's Three Lions escaped a major punishment that could have easily doomed their night.

“I thought England were extremely lucky not to concede a penalty in that second half," Halsey stated bluntly. "You can see again, Prince [Adu]'s gone racing through, the ball's played through to him, he's gone one-on-one with Jordan Pickford. Then we see Konsa running back, putting in a challenge, but he doesn't make no contact with the ball whatsoever."

Halsey further dissected the mechanics of Konsa's clumsy recovery attempt, emphasising that the modern threshold for a clear foul had undoubtedly been cleared.

"And I was very surprised that VAR didn't recommend a review because had VAR recommended a review, I think England would have conceded a penalty and I think the Honduran official Martinez would have given a penalty.”

The reprieve saved a point for England, but it did little to mask a sluggish offensive display. Just days after putting four goals past Croatia, England's star-studded frontline completely misfired.

Harry Kane endured a dismal evening, uncharacteristically blazing a rebound over the crossbar after substitute Nico O'Reilly headed against the woodwork late in the game.

Ghana, deploying a highly disciplined 4-1-4-1 mid-block under Carlos Queiroz, executed their defensive blueprint perfectly.

They absorbed 87 final-third entries from England and relied heavily on clearing the lines to survive the late onslaught.

With the spoils shared, Group L remains on a knife-edge. England misses out on locking up the top seed early, meaning everything rests on the final matchday of the group stages.