‘That’s a penalty’ — Rooney agrees as fans claim Ghana were robbed in England draw

England legend Wayne Rooney has strongly criticised Three Lions’ defender Ezri Konsa following a highly controversial second-half incident that overshadowed England’s 0-0 World Cup draw against Ghana.

The fortunate escape preserved a crucial point for the Three Lions but left football fans and pundits completely divided over the officiating.

The flashpoint occurred late in the second half of the tense Group L fixture when Ghanaian substitute Prince Kwabena Adu broke clean through on the English goal.

Facing an imminent one-on-one, Aston Villa defender Ezri Konsa lunged into a reckless, flying challenge inside the penalty box, completely wiping out the Ghanaian forward without touching the ball.

Despite furious protests from the Black Stars, the match officials ruled that Adu was narrowly offside just moments prior to the challenge, a hotly debated decision that nullified what would have been a certain penalty and a potential red card.

The dramatic let-up spared Thomas Tuchel’s men from a disastrous loss, but Rooney made it clear on the BBC that the referee got it wrong, saying, "I think that's a penalty. Konsa takes a huge risk. His feet are off the floor when he comes flying in and he gets the man, not the ball."

The lucky escape quickly ignited intense debate over England's defensive vulnerabilities, with outraged fans taking to social media to echo Rooney's harsh post-match assessment.

Supporters flooded X with accusations of bias and poor officiating, with one fan directly writing, “Ghana was robbed!!” while another questioned the referee, adding, “At no point did Ezri Konsa touch the ball on that tackle. We just can't understand why the match referee didn't even go check the VAR.”

While the Black Stars are left to lament what could have been a historic victory, England must quickly resolve these glaring defensive cracks as they advance deeper into the knockout stages of the tournament.