Fatawu Issahaku Questions Penalty Decision in Ghana’s Defeat to Côte d’Ivoire

Ipswich Town winger Fatawu Issahaku has broken his silence after Ghana’s painful defeat to Côte d’Ivoire, questioning the penalty decision that decided the game.

The Black Stars fell to their arch-rivals in Thursday’s AFCON 2027 qualifier at the Stade de la Paix in Bouaké, with the controversial spot-kick proving to be the difference.

Speaking after the match, Fatawu, who was adjudged to have committed the foul, insisted he made no contact with the Ivorian attacker.

“Everyone can see what happened on the field because I was the one who went for the tackle. I didn’t go to kick him or anything. I just went to make sure he couldn’t shoot,” he said.

The winger was visibly frustrated with the referee’s call, adding:

“But I don’t know why the referee made that decision because you can clearly see that I didn’t touch him. I don’t know why the referee gave the penalty, but I have nothing more to say.”

Replays of the incident have since sparked debate among Ghanaian fans, with many arguing the contact was minimal or non-existent and that VAR should have intervened.

The defeat is a bitter blow for Ghana, who are hoping to bounce back and qualify for the 2027 AFCON after missing out on the 2025 tournament in Morocco. Carlos Queiroz’s side had shown promise before the penalty turned the game on its head.

Fatawu, who remains a key figure for both club and country, will now look to put the incident behind him as Ghana turns its attention to its next qualifiers.