“It’s a mess”: Penalty for Ronaldo makes Ghana coach rage

“This is a mess”
Penalty for Ronaldo makes Ghana coach rage

Otto Addo works as a youth coach for Borussia Dortmund and as a national coach for Ghana – and is in a rage after the defeat against Portugal at the start of the World Cup. It’s about the controversial penalty whistle for Cristiano Ronaldo. And the fact that the referees are not available for discussion.

Ghana’s national coach Otto Addo sharply criticized the referee team after losing the World Cup opener against Portugal. “I have no idea, I don’t know if they were asleep. It’s crazy that you don’t even look at the scene,” Addo grumbled after the 2: 3 (0: 0) in Doha about the American team around Ismail Elfath Video assistant Armando Villarreal. “It was a wrong decision.”

A scene in the 62nd minute angered Addo. Ghana’s Mohammed Salisu had slightly touched superstar Cristiano Ronaldo in the penalty area, but also hit the ball. To Addo’s incomprehension, the video assistant (VAR) did not intervene, Ronaldo stepped in himself and converted to lead the 2016 European champion. The five-time world footballer is now the first player to score at least one goal in five World Cups. The 37-year-old has scored in every world tournament since 2006, a total of eight times.

“Congratulations, but of course that was a nice gift from the referees,” said Addo sarcastically and suspected a superstar bonus in the referee’s decision-making process: “Maybe because it was against Ronaldo. It’s a mess.” The former Bundesliga player, who is employed by Borussia Dortmund as a top talent coach, tried to speak to Elfath after the game. “But I was told it wasn’t possible,” said the 47-year-old, adding: “Sometimes you could take a few minutes for the coach.”

Portugal’s coach Fernando Santos assessed the controversial scene differently. “Of course you could have asked the VAR at the penalty kick, but that would not have made any difference. I think if the video referee had had doubts, something would have happened,” said the 68-year-old: “So there was probably nothing to see.”

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