They were unseen scenes at the Women’s Soccer World Cup yesterday. The Cameroonian women felt put in their shirt by some arbitrary decisions. They then simply refused to continue playing, but also went a long way beyond their book.
When Steph Houghton gave England the lead around fifteen minutes, the millions of viewers had known for a long time that it would be a special evening. The experienced right back from Manchester City struck from close range by an indirect free kick, awarded after an irregular play-back by the keeper. Cameroon disputed the phase, entered into a discussion, but returned from a bare journey: 1-0.
Not the first incident of the evening, because a few minutes before the lights went out at Ejangue when they spit on Duggan’s arm. Ejangue was not aware of any harm – an accident, so to speak.
Well, the next 75 minutes were even stranger if possible. “What I experienced today, I have never seen on a football field,” reacted the English coach and ex-legend of Manchester United Phil Neville after the match. After all, even the 2-0 pots boiled well.
In the injury time of the first half, Ellen White made her fourth goal of the World Cup. The line judge was in the air with the outside flag, but the VAR saw a valid goal after deliberation. The English striker was indeed no offside on a nice cunning push-through pass.
The Cameroonian ladies, however, saw it differently, because when the replay was shown on the big screen in the stadium, they promptly refused to kick off. They gathered alone in the center circle – the shout from the stands was no less.
Only after a few minutes, the game was resumed, after which the referee immediately quit Qin Liang. A few Cameroonian players went to the changing rooms in tears, but not before they accused FIFA of racism in the players’ tunnel.
“Someone has to go and explain to the ladies why the goal has been approved,” it was broadcast live by BBC commentator Gabby Logan. “Isn’t this a minor problem that can easily be solved?” Minutes before the start of the second half, the ‘Indomitable Lions’ were on the pitch again
But it didn’t help much, luck wasn’t on the African country side either. After only 45 seconds, Cameroon thought to make the connection goal, but this goal was rejected due to narrow offside. Centimeter work, but rightly so. Again Cameroon felt cheated. National coach Alain Djeumfa talked to his players for minutes to complete the match.
The Cameroonian ladies hadn’t thought about playing football for a long time, because someone didn’t think it would be better to sell the referee a hefty punch in the back, after which an attack also took place on Steph Houghton’s ankle. The VAR thought that enough drama had already been caused and saw the dirty mistake wonderfully in its fingers.
“This was not football,” said English coach Neville after the game. “Girls worldwide will have seen this, but this is not how you behave on a soccer field. I have zero sympathies for them. A certain behavioral norm is expected, certainly during a World Cup.”
“My daughter wants to be a football player later, but I think she’s changing her mind now. I am proud that we have kept our cool and went to the quarterfinals. But what I have seen today, that I have never seen on a lawn. If that were my team, they would never be allowed to play for the national team again. “And the Cameroon coach? He spoke of injustice.” What else should I think of this?”
