Wayne Rooney stated that England was fortunate that Ezri Konsa was not penalized for a late challenge against Ghana in Tuesday's match, which ended in a draw. The match, held in Boston, saw England dominate possession with 78.8 percent but struggle to create scoring opportunities, managing only three shots on target.
Despite England's offensive pressure, Ghana posed a threat on the counter-attack. Late in the game, Eberechi Eze lost possession to Abdul Fatawu, who then passed to Prince Adu as he approached the goal. Adu's touch was heavy, allowing Konsa to attempt an intervention. The Aston Villa defender collided with Adu, with both of Konsa's feet off the ground. Adu was brought down, but the referee, Said Martinez, did not award a penalty, and VAR also decided against intervening.
Rooney, speaking on BBC's coverage, expressed surprise at the officials' decision. "I think that's a penalty," Rooney said. "Konsa takes a huge risk. His feet are off the floor when he comes flying in and he gets the man, not the ball."
Darren Cann, a former World Cup final linesman and BBC's refereeing expert, agreed with Rooney's assessment. "Konsa makes no contact at all with the ball. He brings down his opponent," Cann stated. "He's airborne, he's out of control, he makes contact with the attacker and no contact with the ball. For me, this is a penalty kick."
Cann added that while he was relieved as an England fan that the penalty was not given, he noted that officials in the tournament have generally adhered to on-field decisions. "We've had seven penalties in this World Cup so far. I'm very glad that wasn't an eighth," he commented.
Following the challenge, Adu managed to get a shot away, but it struck Antoine Semenyo, who was in an offside position. Ghana's manager, Carlos Queiroz, sarcastically remarked about VAR, suggesting they "went for a coffee."
The draw left both Ghana and England with four points after two matches. The result sets up a crucial final group stage match for both teams.