Ghana’s head coach, Carlos Queiroz, humorously suggested that the video assistant referee might have taken a break after England was denied a penalty and a red card during Tuesday’s scoreless World Cup draw.
Both teams had secured victories in their Group L openers, but the tactical Black Stars effectively frustrated England on a cloudy day in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
England dominated possession at 79%, marking the highest percentage for a team that did not manage to score in a World Cup match in the last six decades.
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Ghana felt similarly wronged, having a late penalty appeal denied following Ezri Konsa’s challenge on Prince Adu, who had just sustained an injury from a clash with goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, resulting in a free kick for England instead of a foul.
In the post-match press conference, Queiroz directed his comments to a FIFA official, stating, “Is VAR still operational during the World Cup? I have my doubts, especially after Ghana was denied a clear penalty against England.”
“We had our opportunities; they were fortunate. They’re very lucky. It seems VAR had a coffee break. While I’d like a coffee myself, that was a definite penalty, and a red card should have been given.”
“Are there any doubts about that? Did anyone who watched the game think otherwise, or am I alone in this?”
“Ultimately, I think the result was fair. They held more possession, while we worked harder, created chances, and they had their moments too. I’m content with the draw.”
“I apologize for the sarcasm; if I made these statements seriously, they might penalize me, so I hope you understand I’m joking.”
England has not suffered a defeat against an African nation in the World Cup across nine encounters, having outshot Ghana 19-1 but failing to score from numerous opportunities in the closing moments.
An exchange between Queiroz and England midfielder Jude Bellingham occurred as they departed the pitch at halftime after a tough tackle by Bellingham on Jerome Opoku.
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Bellingham downplayed the incident, attributing it to a “competitive edge.” He explained, “I made a careless tackle honestly. I was trying to win the ball and caught the player. I had a conversation with him afterward, but their bench made a big deal trying to get a yellow card for me.”
“As for Queiroz, I recognized him since he was at Manchester United—great respect for him. It was all just part of the competitiveness from both sides.”
Queiroz, managing his fifth World Cup, noted the exchange stemmed from Bellingham using “inappropriate language.”
“I wanted to tell him to calm down after that tackle,” he remarked to ITV. “It could have merited a second yellow card because he went in recklessly. I was concerned about my player’s safety after that incident.”
Both teams had previously won their opening matches at this tournament, with Ghana securing a 1-0 win over Panama and England defeating Croatia 4-2. Each team still needs to secure points in Group L to advance to the knockout stage in this expanded 48-team World Cup.
England lost to France in the quarterfinals of the 2022 tournament, while Ghana last reached the knockout stage in 2010 in South Africa.
However, with this year’s expanded format, the top eight third-place teams will progress, offering both Ghana and England a solid chance as they head into their final group matches.
England’s next game is against Panama on Saturday in East Rutherford, New Jersey, while Ghana will face Panama simultaneously in Philadelphia.
Contributions from The Associated Press, PA, and ESPN Research were included in this report.