- What was the exact incident involving Harry Kane and Lionel Mpasi?
- In the 87th minute of England’s 2-1 win over DR Congo, Kane went down under a challenge from goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi. The referee waved play on, VAR intervened, and the on-field decision stood—no penalty.
- Did VAR overturn the penalty decision?
- No. After a three-minute review, the VAR team upheld the on-field call. The decision was final: no penalty awarded to England.
- What did Alan Shearer say about the penalty appeal?
- Shearer argued there was contact between Mpasi’s knee and Kane’s calf, calling it a soft but legitimate foul. He stated, 'It’s soft, but it’s contact. You can’t tell me there wasn’t something there.'
- How did Wayne Rooney respond to the incident?
- Rooney disagreed, saying Kane initiated the fall and sold a contact that wasn’t there. He commented, 'He goes down too easily. If you’re going to go down, make sure it looks real. This one didn’t.'
- How has England’s penalty record been recently?
- England have scored just two penalties in their last eight attempts across major tournaments, raising questions about composure and conversion under pressure.
- Who is the referee for England vs DR Congo?
- The match was officiated by Adham Makhadmeh, who made the initial no-call before VAR reviewed the incident.