The Black Stars of Ghana fought hard to settle for a 3-2 defeat against Portugal in their first match at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
Ghana came into the match with high hopes of beating the Portuguese but fell short as their opponents dominated play from the blast of the whistle.
The first half ended barren as Ghana soaked all the pressure Portugal brought into the match.
Portugal erupted in the second half of its 2022 World Cup opener and beat Ghana 3-2, but only after a controversial penalty, won and converted by Cristiano Ronaldo, sprung the game to life.
Portugal had been superior but impotent for the opening hour but finally unlocked a resistant Ghana defense when Ronaldo tumbled to the ground in the penalty area. He’d stretched for a ball alongside Ghanaian defender Mohammed Salisu. Both appeared to contact it. Replays appeared to show a completely clean play.
The referee awarded a penalty to Portugal and there was no subsequent VAR check.
The referee, though, pointed to the penalty spot. His video assistant didn’t intervene. Ronaldo converted the spot kick, and the eruption began.
This goal has erupted a lot of reactions from Ghanaians, who claim the referee was not been fair to the Ghanaian side.
The American referee, Ismail Elfath, who officiated Ghana’s game against Portugal at the 2022 World Cup, has been classified by Ghanaians as a biased man.
Some have called on FIFA to punish the referee for not officiating a fair game between Ghanaians and the Portuguese.
See their reactions below:
Pulse
