England football legend Wayne Rooney has admitted the Three Lions were fortunate to escape punishment during their goalless World Cup draw against Ghana, insisting the Black Stars should have been awarded a late penalty.
The controversial moment came in the closing stages of Tuesday night’s encounter, which ended 0-0 and allowed both teams to maintain their unbeaten records in the tournament.
Speaking during the BBC’s Match of the Day analysis, Rooney questioned the referee’s decision not to award a spot-kick after Ghana striker Prince Adu was brought down inside the penalty area by England defender Ezri Konsa.
The incident occurred in the 79th minute when Ghana winger Abdul Fatawu won possession and threaded a pass into the path of Adu, who looked set to test England’s defence before being challenged from behind.
Despite appeals from Ghanaian players, the referee waved play on and judged the tackle to be legal. The Video Assistant Referee (VAR) also chose not to intervene, allowing England to avoid what could have been a decisive penalty.
Rooney, however, disagreed with the officials’ assessment and believed the challenge warranted a spot-kick.
“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 former England captain said.
The decision quickly became one of the most debated moments of the match, with many supporters and pundits questioning why VAR did not recommend an on-field review.
Ghana spent much of the game without possession but remained disciplined defensively and created several dangerous moments on the counterattack. The penalty appeal represented one of their clearest opportunities to break the deadlock.
For England, the draw secured another point in their World Cup campaign, but discussions after the final whistle centred less on the football and more on the officiating decision that may have altered the outcome of the match.
Rooney’s comments have added further fuel to the debate, with fans divided over whether Ghana were unfairly denied a chance to claim all three points from the encounter.
