2027 AFCONQ: The penalty decision was a ‘joke’ – Carlos Queiroz after Ghana’s loss to Ivory Coast
Ghana coach Carlos Queiroz has labelled the penalty that helped Ivory Coast seal a 2-0 win over the Black Stars in their opening 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier as “a joke”. The Portuguese coach criticised the decision after watching a replay of the incident that led to the hosts doubling their advantage in Thursday’s […]
Carlos Queiroz, the coach of Ghana, has labeled the penalty awarded to Ivory Coast as "a joke" following their opening 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier loss. The incident occurred during the Group C clash at the Stade de Bouaké, where Ivory Coast capitalized on the penalty to secure a 2-0 victory. Queiroz criticized the decision, stating that it unbalanced the game at a crucial moment.
Malick Yalcouyé put Ivory Coast ahead shortly before halftime, and later, Abdul Fatawu Issahaku committed a foul on Yalcouyé inside the penalty area. Franck Kessié converted the resulting penalty, giving Ivory Coast the winning edge. Queiroz argued that the penalty should not have been awarded, as it came after Ghana had fought desperately to equalize following their first-half goal.
The result leaves Ghana bottom of Group C without any points, while Ivory Coast starts their qualifying campaign with three points. Ghana now seeks to return to the AFCON finals after missing the 2025 tournament in Morocco, their first absence from the competition in over two decades.
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