Arabic version: جاريل كوانساه يتلقى إيقافًا لمباراتين بعد حادثة البطاقة الحمراء

England defender Jarell Quansah has been given a two-match ban for his red card against Mexico. Quansah was sent off in the 54th minute of the 3-2 win following a high challenge on Jesus Gallardo, which was classed as serious foul play. This ruling, made by FIFA’s disciplinary committee, adds an extra match on top of the automatic one-game suspension.

According to BBC News, Quansah will miss Saturday’s quarter-final with Norway and a potential semi-final against Argentina or Switzerland. The 23-year-old will be available if England reaches the final in New Jersey on July 19.

The Football Association (FA) is unable to contest the ban under tournament regulations, although they have expressed strong concerns about the process leading to the red card decision. They argue that the referee was shown a still image of the tackle and slow-motion replays before being shown the incident in real-time on the pitchside screen, suggesting this could have resulted in ‘outcome bias’.

Quansah’s absence complicates head coach Thomas Tuchel’s options at right-back, particularly with Reece James recovering from a hamstring injury. Tuchel’s assistant, Anthony Barry, expressed disappointment over losing Quansah, noting the player’s strong performance in training. Winger Bukayo Saka also described the ban as ‘incredibly frustrating for us, and for him’, but emphasized the need for the team to adapt for the upcoming match against Norway.

The situation has drawn attention due to perceived inconsistencies in FIFA’s disciplinary actions, particularly when compared to the case of U.S. forward Folarin Balogun, who received a lighter punishment for a similar offense. The differing outcomes have sparked criticism and raised questions about the application of VAR protocols in the tournament, as well as the overall consistency of officiating decisions.