England defender Jarell Quansah has been issued a two-match ban by Fifa following his red card during the match against Mexico. The decision means Quansah will miss Saturday’s quarter-final fixture against Norway and a potential semi-final match.
Quansah was sent off in the 54th minute of England’s 3-2 victory after a challenge on Jesus Gallardo was deemed serious foul play. This classification resulted in an additional match suspension on top of the automatic one-game ban, as determined by Fifa’s disciplinary committee. The Bayer Leverkusen player will be available for selection if England advances to the final in New Jersey on 19 July.
Impact on England’s World Cup campaign
The ban presents complications for head coach Thomas Tuchel, particularly concerning the right-back position. Quansah had played in that role against Mexico due to Reece James‘s injury absence. While Djed Spence was used as a substitute after a minor fitness issue, Tuchel anticipates James will be available for the Norway match, having recovered from a hamstring injury sustained in an earlier group stage game against Ghana.
Assistant coach Anthony Barry expressed disappointment regarding the ban, stating, "Disappointing, not with the decision, just the fact that we lose a good player." He added that Quansah had been performing excellently in training and that the ban was "just another hurdle that we have to overcome."
Winger Bukayo Saka also commented on the situation, describing the ban as "incredibly frustrating for us, and for him." Saka emphasized the team’s need to adapt, stating, "It is what it is, we are not here to complain, we are here to adapt and to pick a team that is ready to beat Norway."
The Football Association had considered an appeal, but tournament regulations do not provide an avenue to contest the ban. However, the FA made strong representations to Fifa regarding the process that led to the red card decision, arguing that the referee was shown a still image and slow-motion replays before the incident was viewed in real-time on the pitchside screen, which could have led to ‘outcome bias’.
VAR protocol and previous decisions
The application of VAR protocol has been a point of discussion. While some reports suggested that slow-motion should not be used for contact fouls, VAR protocol specifies that full speed should be used for assessing the "intensity of the challenge," and slow motion for identifying the "point of contact for physical offences." The protocol states that as long as the referee views the incident in full speed, which was the case for both Quansah and Folarin Balogun, the protocol has been followed.
The degree of Quansah’s punishment has drawn comparisons to the case of United States forward Folarin Balogun. Balogun was also sent off for serious foul play but received a one-match ban that was suspended for 12 months. This decision by Fifa, which did not detail the specific circumstances taken into account, led to criticism from various football entities, including Uefa and Belgium.
The differing outcomes prompted France to challenge a yellow card issued to Michael Olise, though this challenge was dismissed by Fifa. Nico O’Reilly, another England defender, is currently one booking away from a suspension, which could further impact the team’s defensive options. O’Reilly stated he would not alter his approach despite the risk, focusing on playing his game against Norway.
England’s upcoming quarter-final opponent, Norway, features Manchester City striker Erling Haaland, who has scored seven goals in the tournament. O’Reilly, a club teammate of Haaland, cautioned against focusing solely on the prolific forward, highlighting that Norway possesses other talented players who can pose a threat.
Saka’s fitness has reportedly improved throughout the tournament. The Arsenal player had been managing an Achilles problem that caused him to miss several Premier League games. He stated he is now "feeling great and I’m ready to go."
The match against Norway will be officiated by French referee Clement Turpin, who previously oversaw England’s 4-2 victory over Croatia.
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Source: bbc.com