Ghana coach Carlo Queiroz has accused England of escaping with a point after claiming the Black Stars were denied a “clear penalty” in their goalless FIFA World Cup draw on Tuesday night.
While many celebrated Ghana’s spirited performance against one of the tournament favourites, Queiroz was left fuming over a controversial incident late in the match that he believes could have changed everything.
The drama unfolded when Prince Kwabena Adu burst into the penalty area before appearing to be brought down by England defender Ezri Konsa. Despite loud appeals from the Ghana bench and players, the referee waved play on and VAR chose not to intervene.
Television replays appeared to show Konsa making contact with Adu’s knee without touching the ball, further fuelling Ghana’s frustration.
A visibly irritated Queiroz questioned whether VAR was even functioning at the tournament.
“I’m not sure VAR is still working in the World Cup. We still have VAR? It’s working?” he said sarcastically after the match.
The veteran coach insisted Ghana should have been awarded not only a penalty, but also a red card against England.
“They’re lucky. Very lucky. It was a clear penalty and a red card. Is there anyone who watched the game and doesn’t think so?” asked Queiroz.
Although he attempted to soften his criticism with humour, his frustration was impossible to hide.
“I’m sorry for my sarcasm, but if I say these things seriously, they punish me. So let’s say I’m joking,” he added.
The controversial decision has sparked debate among football fans, with many questioning whether Ghana were denied a golden opportunity to claim a famous World Cup victory over England.
For now, the Black Stars must settle for a point — but Queiroz clearly believes they were robbed of much more.
With a win, Ghana would have secured their place in the next round with six points but remain second with four points. They will now need not to lose against Croatia in their last game to secure advancement to the knockout stages.