Jarell Quansah has been banned for two matches following his red card against Mexico
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England’s World Cup aspirations have been dealt a significant blow after defender Jarell Quansah was handed a two-match suspension, ruling him out of Saturday’s quarter-final clash against Norway and a potential semi-final.
Winger Bukayo Saka expressed the squad’s "incredibly frustrated" reaction to the news.
Quansah received a red card following a video review during England’s last-16 victory over Mexico, which determined he had made a sliding studs-up tackle. Fifa subsequently imposed the two-match ban, leaving manager Thomas Tuchel with depleted defensive options for the crucial latter stages of the tournament.
"I just found out that it’s a two-match ban, which is incredibly frustrating for us and for him," Saka told reporters on Thursday. "But it’s the way it is. We’re not here to complain, we just need to adapt and pick a team that’s ready to beat Norway."
England had explored the possibility of an appeal, particularly after Fifa overturned a one-match suspension previously imposed on US striker Folarin Balogun earlier in the competition. However, an FA spokesperson confirmed that Fifa rules prohibited England from appealing the decision.
Saka admitted Quansah's ban was 'incredibly frustrating'open image in gallery
Saka admitted Quansah's ban was 'incredibly frustrating' (Getty)
When pressed on how Quansah’s case differed from Balogun’s and whether he and his teammates felt the ruling was unfair, Saka chose not to comment directly.
"I don’t really know what to say. I have no comment on that. It was Fifa’s decision," the winger stated. "This decision for us, focusing on ourselves, is frustrating. But we have to adapt and deal with it."
The suspension exacerbates England’s existing defensive concerns, with injuries already limiting Tuchel’s choices at the back.
Defender Nico O’Reilly, who is just one booking away from a suspension himself, acknowledged Quansah’s absence as a setback but insisted the team would quickly move past it.
"Yeah, of course, it’s sad," O’Reilly said. "It can’t get appealed or anything, so we’ve just got to get on with it now. Obviously, I feel bad for him as well."
O’Reilly affirmed that he would not alter his approach despite the risk of missing a potential semi-final if he receives a caution against Norway. "
“I think I approach it the same as every other game," he explained. "Of course, if we win and I get a yellow card, I miss the next game. But I’m not focused on that. I’m focused on playing my game and doing what I need to do."
Nico O'Reilly is one booking away from a suspensionopen image in gallery
Nico O'Reilly is one booking away from a suspension (Getty)
On a more positive note for England, Saka’s fitness has been steadily improving. The Arsenal player arrived at the tournament managing an Achilles problem that had forced him to miss several Premier League games late in the season.
"I think across the tournament, my minutes have been building and building," Saka commented. "Of course, I would love to come to this tournament 100%, but that wasn’t the case, and everyone’s realised that and they’ve managed me in the best way possible. But right now, I’m feeling great and I’m ready to go."
Standing between England and a place in the semi-finals is a formidable Norway side, making their first World Cup quarter-final appearance, spearheaded by Manchester City striker Erling Haaland, who has already netted seven goals in the tournament.
O’Reilly, a club teammate of Haaland, cautioned against focusing solely on the prolific forward.
"No, not at all," O’Reilly said when asked if neutralising Haaland would guarantee an England victory. "They’ve got great players all around the pitch who can cause a lot of danger. But of course, if we can keep him quiet, it would be a huge factor."