A notable moment from Ghana’s World Cup match against Portugal on November 24 was the penalty call that resulted in Portugal’s opening goal.
When defender Mohammed Salisu challenged Cristiano Ronaldo in the area for Ghana, referee Ismail Elfath saw the foul and gave the Selecao a penalty.
The game ultimately resulted in a 3–2 loss for the Black Stars after the former Man United star converted the kick to put his side ahead. The majority of commentators have emphasized that Salisu and Ronaldo did not make contact, and that the referee should have at the very least mentioned the Video Assistant Referee (VAR), which he did not. Social media users have some harsh words to say about FIFA and the referee. ESPN, one of the biggest names in sports worldwide, had a different take on the situation.
“Replays revealed that before there was contact on the Portugal striker’s boot and upper body, Ronaldo had unquestionably advanced on Salisu to the ball.
“Even if this might be viewed as a soft penalty, we need to analyze it in the context of VAR; the match referee, fellow American official Ismail Elfath, would not have recognized it as a clear and apparent error.” In addition, it’s improbable that the VAR would have recommended a spot kick if the referee hadn’t given the penalty, according to a portion of their research. Salisu would have been entitled to a full review if he had reached the ball before Ronaldo, but he did not, which is unfortunate for the Ghanaian defender. ESPN also mentioned a comparable incident involving Ronaldo and defender Alex Djiku at the halfway point.
“In the 31st minute, Ronaldo also believed he had scored, but the whistle had already been blown for a foul for pushing Alexander Djiku. Since nothing can be reviewed by the VAR after the referee blows his whistle, he is unable to review the foul that led to the goal’s award “They came to a conclusion. Watch the nominees for the GhanaWeb Excellence Awards video.