Black Stars midfielder Antoine Semenyo has urged his teammates to be more assertive with match officials after controversial moments in Ghana’s goalless draw with England at the FIFA World Cup.
Speaking ahead of Saturday’s Group L clash with Croatia, Semenyo said the team must better manage key decisions to avoid being disadvantaged again.
“We actually talked about it in training today. As players, we need to stay close to the referee and make our case,” he said.
“I was right next to the incident and put my hand up straight away because I had a clear view. As a team, we need to be more aggressive in those situations. It’s frustrating because they’ve now failed to check it on two occasions.”
His comments come after Ghana’s draw with England, a match that featured several disputed decisions and renewed debate over VAR consistency.
Ghana faces Croatia on Saturday, knowing a positive result could be key to reaching the Round of 32.
🎥 🇬🇭 “As players, we need to surround referees and make our voices heard. We have to be more aggressive when dealing with officials.”
Black Stars forward Antoine Semenyo reacts to the lack of VAR reviews for two penalty appeals in Ghana’s World Cup draw against England.… pic.twitter.com/n4tSZn1q2c
— Citi Sports (@CitiSportsGHA) June 26, 2026
