Ghana left frustrated after penalty shout against England

The controversial moment came late in the match when Ghana midfielder Prince Kwabena Adu burst into the England penalty area before appearing to be brought down by defender Ezri Konsa. Referee play continued, and the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) did not intervene, leaving Ghana furious at the decision.

Speaking after the match, Queiroz questioned whether VAR was functioning at all.

"I'm not sure VAR is still working in the World Cup. We still have VAR? It's working?" he said.

"I have some doubts about that because another penalty that they need give to Ghana, a clear penalty against England, was missed. They're lucky. They're very lucky."

The Ghana boss went even further, suggesting the challenge warranted not only a penalty but also a red card.

"It was a clear penalty, red card. You have any doubts about that?" he asked reporters.

Queiroz later clarified his comments were made with a touch of humour, adding: "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."

Pundits Agree with Ghana's Frustration

Several BBC pundits reviewing the incident shared Queiroz's view that England were fortunate to escape punishment.

Former England and Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney believed the challenge met the threshold for a penalty.

"I think that's a penalty," Rooney said on BBC One.

"Konsa takes a huge risk. His feet are off the floor when he comes flying in and he gets the man, not the ball. That could easily have been given in my view."

Former England defender Micah Richards echoed that assessment.

"England were chasing the game, they were trying to score the goal but you still need that protection behind you," Richards said.

"On another day, that could have been a penalty."

Why Didn't VAR Intervene?

The lack of a VAR review has raised fresh questions about how the technology is being applied during the tournament.

According to FIFA's refereeing guidelines, officials have been encouraged to adopt a higher threshold before overturning on-field decisions. FIFA's head of referees, Pierluigi Collina, has previously stated a desire for greater consistency and fewer interruptions to matches.

That approach means VAR officials are less likely to intervene unless they believe a clear and obvious error has been made.

However, former World Cup final assistant referee Darren Cann felt the incident should have been reviewed.

"As an England fan I am delighted that it wasn't given," Cann admitted.

"But I have to be honest, for me this should have been referred."

He added: "Konsa makes absolutely no contact at all with the ball, he brings down his opponent. He is airborne, he is out of control, he makes contact with the attacker. For me this was a penalty kick."

Debate Continues

While England escaped without conceding a late penalty and secured a point from the match, the incident is likely to fuel further debate over VAR's consistency and the threshold for intervention at major international tournaments.

For Ghana, the decision may prove especially frustrating given the potential impact a penalty could have had on the outcome. For England, it was a moment of relief and perhaps a reminder that even with VAR in place, football's biggest talking points are rarely settled when the final whistle blows.