Tom Hamilton
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Tom Hamilton
Senior Writer
- • Joined ESPN in 2011.
• Covered two Olympic Games, a pair of Rugby World Cups and two British & Irish Lions tours.
• Previously rugby editor, he became senior writer in 2018.James Olley
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James Olley
Senior Writer, ESPN FC
Several authors
MIAMI – Jarell Quansah will miss England’s World Cup quarter-final against Norway due to a two-match ban for the red card he received in the round of 16 win over Mexico.
Quanza was sent off in the 54th minute of England’s 3-2 win over Mexico after a VAR review for a heavy tackle on Mexico defender Jesus Gallardo. England played out the final 36 minutes with the man advantage. But England pulled out a historic win to set up a World Cup quarter-final against Norway in Miami on Saturday.
Quansah will be suspended for the match against Norway and also for the semi-final if England are successful.
The decision means England will play at right-back on Saturday.
Quansah will miss the quarter-finals, as well as a potential England semi-final. Yuriy Cortes/AFP via Getty Images
They are worried about the fitness of Reece James, who was sidelined with a hamstring problem after the 0-0 draw with Ghana. On Wednesday, he trained separately from the main group, continuing to follow an “individual program.”
With James injured, Quansa started against Panama but was injured in the second half. Jed Spence took his place. Spence then started against the Democratic Republic of the Congo, but it was Declan Rice who finished the match as a makeshift right-back.
Quansa was again available for the match against Mexico but was then sent off in the second half, so Ezri Konsa was replaced at right-back.
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The hope is that James will be ready for Norway, otherwise Thomas Tuchel will have to juggle even more.
Hours after Quansa’s red card, sources told ESPN that the FA had weighed its options in light of FIFA’s decision to suspend USMNT forward Folarin Balogun’s one-game ban for 12 months following intervention by US President Donald Trump.
Quanza was sent off early in the second half against Mexico for challenging Jesus Gallardo. Michael Steele/Getty Images
Tuchel expressed his disappointment at the precedent set by FIFA’s Balogun decision.
“Where does it start and where does it end?” – he said. “Can we cancel (Quansa’s red card) or not cancel it? What’s happening?
“Where to draw the line is the question I’m asking. I don’t have an answer to it. Where does it end now? Do we appeal if a yellow card is not a yellow card. Do we think it’s not a red card, or who thinks so? Where does it start and where does it end?”