Ghana absolutely should have been awarded a penalty against England. If you watched the cagey 0-0 draw at Boston Stadium, you know the scoreline doesn't even begin to tell the story. Thomas Tuchel’s England got away with murder in Massachusetts, escaping two massive refereeing blunders that left pundits and fans completely stunned.
The biggest talking point happened late in the second half. Prince Kwabena Adu burst into the box and was flattened by a rash challenge from England defender Ezri Konsa. Replays showed Konsa made zero contact with the ball. Initially, the linesman flagged for offside, but automated tracking quickly proved Adu was perfectly onside. Instead of a VAR review and a clear penalty, the match officials simply waved play on. It was a shocking error that completely altered the outcome of this Group L clash.
The Ezri Konsa Tackle That Shook Boston Stadium
Let's break down the exact physics of the missed Ghana penalty against England. When the ball was slipped behind the English backline, Prince Adu used his raw pace to get to it first. Ezri Konsa, tracking back desperately, committed the ultimate defender's sin. He lunged in.
When a defender leaves his feet inside the penalty area and fails to touch the ball, it is a foul every single day of the week. Konsa missed the ball entirely and took down the Ghanaian forward. Former Republic of Ireland international James McClean didn't hold back on the RTÉ broadcast, calling the decision "mind-blowing" and labeling it a stonewall penalty.
The real issue is how quickly the game moved on. Because the assistant referee originally raised his flag for an offside that didn't exist, the VAR room had to check the phase of play. Once the replays confirmed Adu was onside, the focus should have immediately shifted to Konsa’s tackle. Instead, the referee restarted play, completely ignoring a clear and obvious error.
Jordan Pickford Luckiest Man in the World Cup
The Konsa tackle wasn't even the first time England rode their luck. In the 68th minute, goalkeeper Jordan Pickford created his own disaster. A long ball over the top caught the England defense completely flat-footed. Pickford sprinted out of his penalty box, hesitated, and ended up crashing straight into Prince Adu.
Neither player touched the ball. Pickford completely missed his clearance and wiped out the attacker outside the area. It was a textbook red card situation for denying an obvious goal-scoring opportunity.
Surprisingly, the referee awarded a free-kick to England instead. Former Three Lions goalkeeper Paul Robinson openly admitted Pickford got lucky, stating that the Everton shot-stopper put himself in a terrible situation and made a bad challenge. Alan Shearer echoed those thoughts, noting that Pickford was caught in no man’s land.
Why Ghana Missed Out on the Call
A major reason Ghana didn't get the penalty comes down to what pundits call being "streetwise." When Konsa leveled Adu in the box, the Ghanaian players complained, but they didn't crowd the referee or cause a massive scene.
In modern football, putting psychological pressure on officials matters. If Harry Kane or Jude Bellingham were wiped out in the opposite box, the entire England team would have surrounded the official, forcing a lengthy VAR review. Ghana's honesty on the pitch ironically worked against them.
What Happens Next in Group L
Despite the officiating disaster, both England and Ghana sit on four points after two matchdays. This draw actually seals qualification to the knockout rounds for both squads, which is probably why Carlos Queiroz didn't completely lose his mind in the post-match press conference.
If you are an England fan, you should be deeply worried. Thomas Tuchel's side failed to register a single shot on target during a dreadful first half. The defense looked vulnerable every time Ghana played a direct ball over the top. To avoid an early exit in the round of 32, Tuchel must fix the communication gap between Pickford and his center-backs immediately. Pack the midfield more tightly or drop the defensive line deeper, because better teams will exploit these massive gaps.
