Ex-Ref Backs Quansah Red Card and Both England Penalties
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- Jarell Quansah was sent off in the 54th minute after a VAR review showed his studs-up challenge on Jesus Gallardo, with 2010 World Cup final assistant referee Darren Cann declaring it "a clear red card" and "100% a red card," even though Quansah played the ball first.
- Harry Kane converted a penalty to extend England's lead to 3-1 but then conceded a spot-kick when referee Alireza Faghani went to the monitor and ruled Kane clipped Brian Gutierrez from behind.
- Jude Bellingham struck twice in two first-half minutes to give England a 2-0 lead, before Julian Quinones pulled one back for Mexico just before the break to set up the second-half chaos.
- Raul Jimenez converted Mexico's penalty as the match at Azteca finished with England down to 10 men in their crucial World Cup knockout.
- Former England goalkeeper Joe Hart backed all three decisions, saying "I felt every single one... as soon as I saw the replays, my heart was in my mouth," including Quansah's red and both penalties.
- Darren Cann drew the symmetry himself, noting Kane's foul was "a little bit similar" to the Modric incident that earned England a penalty in their first group game — Kane won one the same way and conceded one the same way.
Why it matters: Three VAR-reviewed calls — a studs-up red card and two penalties, one scored and one conceded by Kane — defined this last-16 match at Azteca. Former officials Cann and Hart backed every decision, with Cann himself flagging the symmetry: Kane conceded for a clip similar to the Modric foul that earlier earned England a group-stage penalty, putting the law's consistency under the microscope.
