‘VAR went for a coffee’ - Ghana manager furious with penalty decision in draw against England

England were held to a 0-0 draw by Ghana, who displayed a resilient defensive performance to frustrate the Three Lions.

England controlled 79% of possession—the highest recorded for a team that failed to score in a World Cup match in 60 years—but the Ghana coach insisted the outcome was marred by a crucial error.

The experienced coach was incensed after a late challenge by England's Ezri Konsa on substitute Prince Adu went unpunished, a decision he believes cost his side a "clear penalty and red card".

In a fiery press conference, Queiroz questioned the video review system's effectiveness. "I'm not sure VAR is still working in the World Cup. 

“We still have VAR? It's working?" he asked reporters. "I have some doubts because another penalty that they needed to give to Ghana, a clear penalty against England, was missed."

He continued, "They're very lucky. Once again, VAR went for a coffee. It's natural, I would like to also take my coffee once in a while, but it was a clear penalty, a red card. You have any doubts about that?"

Adopting a sarcastic tone, he added, "I'm sorry for my sarcasm, but if I say these kinds of things seriously, they punish me, so I hope you understand that I'm joking."

The draw leaves both teams in a strong position to advance to the round of 32. England currently leads the group on four points, ahead of Ghana on goal difference. 

The Three Lions opened their tournament with a 4-2 victory over Croatia, while the Black Stars secured a win against Panama.

To guarantee their place in the next round, England will face Panama in East Rutherford on Saturday. Meanwhile, Ghana prepares for a decisive clash with Croatia in Philadelphia.