After a 2-0 defeat to the U.S. in the World Cup, Australia’s team raised concerns about referee Felix Zwayer’s decisions. Forward Nestory Irankunda criticized the referee’s performance following the match.
Irankunda expressed his frustration, stating, “The ref was having a stinker today,” and highlighted the bias he perceived, claiming that the referee favored the U.S. team in his calls. He stressed the need for fairness, pointing out that both teams deserved equal treatment.
“If you look at how the referee was today, [there’s] not much I can say about that,” Irankunda remarked.
Australia’s manager Tony Popovic also shared his dissatisfaction. He said too many fouls were awarded easily, and at times, it was challenging to earn a foul. Popovic noted, “Today was I wouldn’t say the best day for the referee. Certainly we felt we were Australia today with the referees.”
One of the match’s contentious moments occurred when a second U.S. goal was initially disallowed for offside but was later upheld after a video assistant referee (VAR) review. This decision drew criticism from Australia, whose players believed their goalkeeper faced obstruction or an offside infraction occurred. Despite protests, the goal stood.
Assistant coach Paul Okon remarked on the situation at halftime, suggesting the Australian goalkeeper Patrick Beach was impeded, yet VAR ruled otherwise. Following the match, Popovic engaged in a heated discussion with officials regarding the controversial goal.
The U.S. team secured its first goal due to an own goal by Australia’s Cameron Burgess early in the match. This marked the second consecutive game in which the U.S. benefited from an early own goal.
Despite the frustration with refereeing, Popovic praised the U.S. team’s performance, admitting his players appeared “sluggish” and were outmatched in duels. He acknowledged that conceding two soft goals made it hard for his team to build momentum.
As the game concluded, referee Zwayer appeared to suffer a cramp, needing assistance from players on both teams to continue.
With two wins, the United States leads Group D with six points, while Australia holds second place with three points.
Jackson Thompson, a sports reporter for Fox News Digital, covers major political and cultural sports topics. His investigative reporting has featured in prominent publications and influenced federal actions related to Title IX enforcement.
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