Cristiano Ronaldo's Penalty Was 'Special Gift' from World Cup Ref, Ghana Coach Says

Portugal's wild 3-2 win over Ghana on Thursday wasn't without controversy. Cristiano Ronaldo scored the first goal from the penalty spot after he went down following a tackle from Ghana's Mohammed Salisu in the box. The decision to award a penalty left the African nation fuming, believing the forward had taken a dive.

Ghana manager Otto Addo was also aggrieved by the decision, slamming United States referee Ismail Elfath after the match.

"If somebody scores a goal, congratulations," he told reporters. "But this was really a gift. Really a gift. What more can I say? [It was] a special gift from the referee.''

"I think it was really the wrong decision," he continued. "I don't know why VAR didn't come up. There's no explanation for me. And then it's difficult against a world-class team when they are leading."

He wasn't alone in his confusion:

Regardless, the penalty call wasn't changed, Ronaldo converted from the spot and Portugal went on to win its back-and-forth World Cup opener.

Controversy or not, Ghana found itself without a point after its first matchday.