The Three Lions knew a victory would have been enough to progress from Group L on Tuesday. They will now have to complete the job when they face Panama on Matchday 3 next Saturday.
England started brightly and controlled possession but were unable to test Benjamin Asare in the Ghana goal. Declan Rice's stinging drive from a free kick flew over the crossbar in the 14th minute, and that pattern continued up until half time.
Some solid defending from Thomas Partey denied Jude Bellingham an attempt on goal. Rice headed over from Noni Madueke's cross, and Harry Kane saw his shot from inside the penalty area deflected behind by Jonas Adjetey.
It was the first time since Croatia faced Belgium in 2022 that neither side managed a shot on target in the first half of a World Cup match. England finally forced the first saved effort just before the hour through Anthony Gordon's tame attempt, which Asare dealt with easily.
Asare then got down low to stop Kane's strike from the edge of the box. Substitute Bukayo Saka sent his header over the crossbar as Thomas Tuchel introduced Morgan Rogers and Eberechi Eze for their World Cup debuts.
Ghana posed a threat on the counter, and only a last ditch intervention from Ezri Konsa stopped Prince Adu from getting the chance to test Jordan Pickford. England still looked the more likely side to snatch a winner in the closing stages.
Saka first saw his curling shot brilliantly thwarted by Asare. Nico O'Reilly headed Reece James' cross against the woodwork, with the rebound falling kindly to Kane, who somehow fired over from six yards out.
England Fail to Fire But Guéhi Justifies Selection
After edging an entertaining six goal thriller against Croatia, many predicted England to sparkle in attack against a Ghana side ranked 65th in the world, the lowest ranked FIFA nation that the Three Lions have faced at a major tournament over the last 30 years.
However, Tuchel's side struggled to replicate the dynamism on show in attack in that opening match, particularly in the opening 45 minutes. England's 104 successful passes ending in the final third were the most by a side that have failed to have a shot on target in the first half of a World Cup game on record since 1966.
At the other end, the England boss will be pleased by Marc Guéhi's performance after he came in to replace John Stones in defence. The Manchester City defender won seven fouls, the joint most by a defender on record since 1966 in a World Cup game.
Guéhi also completed 126 passes, the most by an England player on record since 1966 in a World Cup match. He could have even got himself on the scoresheet late on had it not been for a clearance off the line from his header.
There will be a lot Tuchel will take from this performance, most notably how his team can improve in attack. England's 19 shots were their most without scoring in a World Cup match since their final group stage game against Nigeria in 2002, when they had 25. They finished with an expected goals total of 1.28.
England vs Ghana: Selected Post Match Opta Facts
The England vs Ghana meeting at Boston Stadium produced a full statistical picture from the Group L fixture on June 23. Team and player data from the match included expected goals figures, passing totals, and defensive contributions that shaped the 0-0 result.
England's inability to convert 19 attempts and an xG of 1.28 stood against Ghana's organized defending and Asare's saves on Gordon and Kane. Guéhi's 126 completed passes and seven fouls won marked historic single game totals for an England player and a World Cup defender respectively in the period covered by the available records since 1966.
England's 104 successful final third passes without a first half shot on target also set a World Cup benchmark for a side that failed to test the goalkeeper before the interval. Ghana, meanwhile, created danger through Prince Adu on the break before Konsa's intervention, while Partey's work helped limit Bellingham and Kane in key moments across the 90 minutes.
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