Ghana head coach Carlos Queiroz called for the introduction of video assistant referees (VAR) in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers following the Black Stars 2-0 loss to Ivory Coast.
While Carlos Queiroz praised the Ivorians performance, the Ghanaian coach was highly critical of the refereeing and specifically questioned the absence of VAR during the match.
“I have nothing but praise for Ivory Coast. They played very well really very well. All the players performed well; congratulations to them. But I cannot extend the same congratulations to the referee,” said Carlos Queiroz.
The 73-year-old Portuguese coach questioned the absence of VAR in a major African competition, arguing that this technology could help referees make certain important decisions with greater precision.
“Why don’t we have VAR in Africa? Why don’t we have VAR in the Africa Cup of Nations?” he asked.
According to Queiroz, the use of technology could help ensure greater fairness during matches, particularly in the qualifying rounds for one of the continentβs major soccer tournaments.
“We don’t have VAR to help the referee make the game fairer,” he added.
The former assistant coach at Manchester United and Real Madrid also cited his personal connection to Africa to express his frustration with what he sees as recurring problems related to refereeing on the continent.
“I was born in Mozambique; I grew up here. I’m tired of these situations, of these referees who aren’t doing a good job,” he said.
This loss leaves Ghana without any points after its first match in Group C, while Ivory Coast takes the lead in the group with three points.
The Black Stars will look to bounce back on September 29 when they host The Gambia at the Accra Sports Stadium.
