Ghana left the 0-0 draw against England with no shortage of regrets, believing they were denied a clear penalty late in the second half. Coach Carlos Queiroz even mocked VAR after the collision between Prince Kwabena Adu and Ezri Konsa in the penalty area.
The 0-0 draw between England and Ghana in Group L of the 2026 World Cup concluded with much controversy. The biggest flashpoint came late in the second half, when Ghana claimed they were denied a clear penalty in the situation where Prince Kwabena Adu was challenged by Ezri Konsa in the box.
The play took place in the 79th minute. Ghana organized a quick counter-attack, Abdul Fatawu threaded a through ball for Adu to break loose behind England’s defense. The Ghana forward’s touch was a bit long but he still managed to rush into the penalty area before being closed down from behind by Konsa.
The Ghanaian players immediately reacted fiercely, claiming that the England defender had made contact that caused Adu to fall. However, the main referee did not point to the penalty spot. The VAR room did not intervene either, making Ghana’s coaching staff even more frustrated.
After the match, coach Carlos Queiroz could not keep his composure. The Portuguese manager sarcastically said: “I’m not sure if VAR is still working. That was a clear penalty.”
This statement quickly became the focal point after the match, as Ghana had a highly disciplined performance against a heavyweight contender like England. The African team dropped deep, defended tightly, and repeatedly caused the Three Lions’ attacking stars to hit a deadlock.
England possessed overwhelming ball control, but that proactivity did not yield effectiveness. Coach Thomas Tuchel successively brought on Bukayo Saka, Morgan Rogers, Eberechi Eze, and Marcus Rashford to look for a difference, but the Three Lions’ attack still lacked sharpness in their final execution.
England’s clearest opportunity came in the 86th minute, when Nico O’Reilly headed the ball against the crossbar before Harry Kane fired the rebound over the bar. That was also a rare moment when the European team truly rattled Ghana’s goal.
For Ghana, a point against England is a commendable result. However, a feeling of regret is unavoidable, because if they had been awarded a penalty in the controversial situation in the 79th minute, Carlos Queiroz and his students could have completely pulled off a major shock in Group L.
After two matchdays, both England and Ghana have 4 points. England will face Panama in the final round, while Ghana enters an important match against Croatia. But before thinking about that decisive showdown, the African team has reason to believe that they dropped a golden opportunity against the Three Lions due to a controversial decision.
