Ghana would have been at the semis if VAR existed – Nyantakyi

Former president of the Ghana Football Association, Kwesi Nyantakyi, has said that the Black Stars would have made it to the semis of the 2010 World Cup if Video Assistant Referees (VAR) were available at the time.

Dominic Adiyiah’s goal-bound header was prevented by striker Luis Suarez who used his hand in the nick of extra time.

Instead of awarding a goal for the Black Stars, the referee whistled for a penalty and gave Suarez his marching orders.

Asamoah Gyan stepped up and struck the crossbar. Ghana subsequently lost the match 4-2 on penalties.

11-years after the incident, Kwesi Nyantakyi has explained the circumstance which led to the referee awarding a penalty instead of a goal.

According to him, the referee would have awarded a goal for Ghana but defender John Mensah rushed to the referee and informed him to award a penalty since it was a handball.

He noted that the situation would have been different if there was VAR because it would have aided the referee’s decision.

Kwesi Nyantakyi revealed that he was one of the persons who opposed the introduction of the VAR but has now come to appreciate its benefit to the game.

He made these remarks in an interview on Onua FM’s breakfast show, Friday, January 7, 2022.