PHILADELPHIA — Ghana star Antoine Semenyo says his team needs to “gang around the referee” more often after his side’s potential penalty shot against England on Tuesday went unreviewed.
The Black Stars earned a historic 0-0 draw against the Three Lions in Group L. With a win or draw against Croatia on Saturday, they will secure a top-two finish.
But some felt they should be leading the group, not second on four points and a lesser goal-difference to England after referee Said Martinez was unmoved by Ezri Konsa’s airborne challenge on Prince Kwabena Adu in the 79th minute.
The Manchester City forward and Ghana manager Carlos Queiroz were most frustrated that Martinez was not even summoned to the VAR monitor.
“As players, we need to gang around the referee and complain. You could say something like that,” Semenyo said.
“I think as a team, we need to be more aggressive around the officials, whether they’re staying down longer as a player or obviously the coaches on the sideline pestering the fourth official.”
Ghana also felt they should’ve won a penalty in their 1-0 win over Panama in the group opener.
Quieroz, managing in his fifth World Cup, said these situations put his players in tough positions.
“When these incidents happen, they come to me, they used to come to me, and they say, ‘Oh, your players didn’t even protest,'” Quieroz said. “But if they protest, they get yellow cards. So we don’t know where we should stand.”
He also expressed frustration at the current implementation of replay technology 10 years on from its first use.
“Because VAR (was) born in 2016, 2018 was the first World Cup,” he said. “Ten years is gone. There is no excuse, no reason for VAR not to be better than this. No excuse. So it’s time for FIFA authorities to review what has been happening behind the scenes.”
A win and an England draw or loss against Panama would see Ghana top the group. A second-place finish would mean a return to Toronto after midfielder Thomas Partey was denied entry to Canada to play Panama by immigration officials. The former Arsenal player faces seven charges of rape and two of sexual assault in Britain, allegations he has denied.
Quieroz suggested the media apply pressure on Canadian authorities.
“I think your second question should be addressed to the visa authorities of Canada, not me,” he said of Partey’s possible status for another match in Canada. “I challenge you to say you should ask those questions.
“You are the press. You are the guys that you have the power to inform people and probably influence public opinion, not us. This is not our job. Our job it is to respect the decisions, accept the decisions that they made.”
–Ian Nicholas Quillen, Field Level Media
