Ghana's Semenyo urges team to pressure referees more at World Cup

Ghanaian forward Antoine Semenyo feels his team must adopt a more aggressive approach when dealing with referees during World Cup games. Semenyo pointed to a penalty appeal in the group stage match against England that was not reviewed, suggesting that players need to "gang around the referee" more often to get decisions noticed.

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As players, we need to gang around the referee and complain. You could say something like that. I think as a team, we need to be more aggressive around the officials, whether they're staying down longer as a player or obviously the coaches on the sideline pestering the fourth official.

"As players, we need to gang around the referee and complain. You could say something like that," Semenyo stated. "I think as a team, we need to be more aggressive around the officials, whether they're staying down longer as a player or obviously the coaches on the sideline pestering the fourth official." This sentiment highlights a perceived need for greater player advocacy on the field.

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When these incidents happen, they come to me, they used to come to me, and they say, ‘Oh your players didn’t even protest', But if they protest, they get yellow cards. So we don’t know where we should stand.

Head coach Queiroz echoed some of the frustration, particularly regarding the implementation of Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology. "When these incidents happen, they come to me, they used to come to me, and they say, ‘Oh your players didn’t even protest'," Queiroz said. "But if they protest, they get yellow cards. So we don’t know where we should stand." He expressed disappointment that VAR, despite being in use for years, has not demonstrably improved the accuracy or consistency of officiating.

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Because VAR (was) born in 2016, 2018 was the first World Cup. Ten years is gone. There is no excuse, no reason for VAR not to be better than this. No excuse. So it's time for FIFA authorities to review what has been happening behind the scenes.

Adding to the team's concerns, midfielder Thomas Partey faces potential difficulties playing in Canada again due to immigration issues related to charges he denies. Queiroz suggested that media should direct questions about Partey's visa status to Canadian immigration authorities, emphasizing that it is not the team's role to influence such decisions but rather the press's power to inform public opinion.

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I think your second question should be addressed to the visa authorities of Canada, not me. I challenge you to say you should ask those questions. You are the press. You are the guys that you have the power to inform people and probably influence public opinion, not us. This is not our job. Our job it is to respect the decisions, accept the decisions that they made.