Ghana head coach Carlos Queiroz says England were “lucky” to escape with a point from their Group L clash after his side were denied what he described as a “clear penalty and red card” during their 0–0 draw at Gillette Stadium in Boston on Tuesday..
The 73-year-old was characteristically sarcastic in his assessment of officiating standards at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, suggesting with a wry smile that the VAR officials must have been on a coffee break during the decisive controversial moment of the match.
The controversy centred on a late challenge by Ezri Konsa on substitute Prince Adu that went unpunished by both the on-field referee and the video assistant referee.
The flashpoint came in the 79th minute. Eberechi Eze was shoulder-charged off the ball by Abdul Fatawu, who then teed up Adu. The substitute was ready to pull the trigger from close range, but Konsa came flying in with a challenge, seemingly catching Adu on the right knee without getting much of the ball. The referee waved play on. VAR did not intervene.
“I’m not sure VAR is still working in the World Cup. We still have VAR? It’s working? I have some doubts about that because another penalty that they need give to Ghana, a clear penalty against England,” he said .
“We had our chances to the point that they’re lucky. They’re very lucky. Once again, VAR went for a coffee. It’s natural, I would like to also take my coffees once in a while, but it was a clear penalty, red card. You have any doubts about that? You guys who saw the game have any doubts about that or is it only me that was in the game?”
Even former Premier League assistant referee Darren Cann, watching on BBC One, admitted the decision was wrong. “Konsa makes absolutely no contact at all with the ball,” he said.
It was not the only contentious call to go against Ghana. Earlier in the match, substitute Adu had been hurt in a collision with England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford outside the penalty area — yet it was Pickford who was awarded the free kick rather than penalised.
The veteran coach eventually softened, though the edge in his voice never fully disappeared: “At the end of the day, that’s why I say it was a fair result. They play more time with the ball, we fight more, we fight better, we create our chances, they have chances at the end. I think they are happy and I am happy also with the draw.”
The VAR row was not the only flashpoint of the evening. Queiroz also exchanged words with England midfielder Jude Bellingham as the two sides made their way off the pitch at half-time, after the Real Madrid man caught Jerome Opoku with a reckless challenge.
Queiroz said the row began after Bellingham used “one word that is not in the book of life.” “My intention was to tell him to cool down with that tackle that he did. Could be a second yellow card, clearly, because he went with the foot against our player. I was worried because my player was not in 100 per cent health.”
He, howver, signed off with a knowing grin: “I’m sorry for my sarcasm, but if I say these kind of things seriously they punish me, so I hope you understand that I’m joking.”
The draw leaves both nations with work to do in their final group fixtures, though both are well-positioned to reach the round of 32. England remain top of Group L on four points, with Ghana level on the same tally following their opening victory over Panama, the two sides separated only by goal difference.
