Ghana boss Carlos Queiroz joked that the video assistant referee must have gone for a coffee after saying England escaped a penalty and red card in Tuesday’s goalless World Cup stalemate.
After both teams won their Group L openers, the well-drilled Black Stars sat back and frustrated England on an overcast afternoon in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
England had 79% possession, the highest by any team that failed to score in a match in the past 60 years at a FIFA World Cup.
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But Ghana were also left feeling aggrieved after a failed appeal for a late penalty for Ezri Konsa‘s challenge on Prince Adu.
The substitute had been hurt shortly before that in a collision with goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, who was awarded a free kick rather than penalized.
Ghana coach Queiroz looked toward a FIFA official in the postmatch news conference and said: “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 [was missed].”
U.S. official Armando Villarreal was the VAR for Tuesday’s match in which Said Martinez of Honduras was the referee.
“We had our chances to the point that they’re lucky. They’re very lucky,” Queiroz continued. “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?
“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.
“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.”
England, who have not lost to an African country at the World Cup in nine meetings, outshot Ghana 19-1 but failed capitalize on multiple chances in the closing minutes.
Queiroz also exchanged words with England midfielder Jude Bellingham as they made their way off the pitch at halftime after the Real Madrid man crunched Jerome Opoku on a tackle.
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The situation was quickly diffused and Bellingham put it down to a “competitive edge.”
“It was just when I made a silly tackle, to be honest,” he said. “I was trying to try to win the ball, and I followed through a little bit and caught the lad. I spoke to him after, and then their bench jumped up trying to get me a yellow card.
“So, I think with their manager I just recognized him. He’s obviously the one who used to be at Manchester United, so great respect, and nothing but a competitive edge for both of us.”
Queiroz, who is managing at his fifth World Cup, said the drama started after Bellingham used a “bad word.”
“My intention was to tell him to cool down with that tackle that he did,” he told ITV.
“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% health. He had a bad reaction with some bad words and that’s why it started.”
Both teams won their opening matches at this year’s tournament, with Ghana beating Panama 1-0 and England defeating Croatia 4-2. Now both still have work to do in Group L before securing a spot in the knockout round at the first 48-team World Cup.
England ended up losing to France in the quarterfinals at the 2022 tournament. Ghana haven’t made it to the knockout round since reaching the quarterfinals at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
But with the expanded tournament this year, the top eight third-place teams will advance, giving both teams a good chance heading into their final group matches.
England will next play Panama on Saturday in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Ghana will take on Panama at the same time in Philadelphia.
The Associated Press, PA and ESPN Research contributed to this report.
