Did the "Kane Curse" Hit? England Fire 19 Shots but Ghana’s Keeper Breaks the Spell
England drew 0-0 with Ghana in Group F at 4:00 AM Beijing time on June 24. England finished with 78% possession, 19 shots and a 9-2 corner advantage, but none of that turned into a goal.
The pre-match story was the so-called Harry Kane curse. After 90 minutes, the cleaner explanation was much more practical: Ghana goalkeeper Benjamin Asare, plus a defensive block that refused to break.
The pre-match story: the “Kane curse”
Before kickoff, the match already had a strange storyline. Ghanaian spiritualist Nana Kwaku Bonsam publicly claimed that he would place a curse on England captain Harry Kane and stop him from performing against Ghana.
It became the kind of off-pitch story that follows a World Cup match online. Ghana’s earlier win over Panama also had a viral clip of a fan throwing white powder in the stands, which some fans jokingly called “black magic” or “voodoo”. When England fired 19 shots without scoring, the joke naturally returned.
The truth: gloves, not magic
The joke was fun, but the football explanation was clear. England controlled the ball and the territory, yet Ghana repeatedly closed the final lane inside the box. Crosses, cutbacks and shots from the edge created pressure, but the truly clean chances were limited.
OpenScore’s post-match data view makes the pattern clearer: England dominated possession and shot volume, while Ghana compressed the danger zone and trusted their goalkeeper at the decisive moments. England won the ball. Ghana protected the score.
The real MVP: Benjamin Asare
If this draw needs a man of the match, it belongs to Ghana goalkeeper Benjamin Asare. Against waves of pressure from Kane, Bellingham, Gordon and the rest of England’s attack, Asare made the key saves that kept the match at 0-0.
In front of him, the midfield and back line led by Thomas Partey kept making contact, blocking shots and cutting passing lanes. Ghana’s point came from discipline, focus and a goalkeeper who delivered in the biggest moments.
England’s problem: control without the final punch
For Thomas Tuchel, this was a direct warning. England can push possession to 78% and pin an opponent deep, but against a compact block, the final action inside the box still needs more sharpness.
Kane needs cleaner receiving zones. Bellingham and the wide attackers need to turn territorial pressure into higher-quality shots faster. Against stronger knockout-stage opponents, control alone will not be enough.
OpenScore read: favorite does not always mean safe
The most useful lesson from this match is that domination does not automatically mean conversion. OpenScore reads this type of game by looking beyond possession and total shots, adding shot quality, blocks, goalkeeper form, defensive depth and match tempo.
- Result: England 0-0 Ghana.
- Core data: England had 78% possession, 19 shots and 4 shots on target.
- Key variable: Asare’s saves and Ghana’s compact low block.
- Post-match view: England remain in a strong group position, but their low-block problem deserves attention.
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Sources: ESPN World Cup fixtures and match data.
