#engcmr

What drama didn’t happen????

Ok, here goes.

Nikita Parris was elbowed in the face about 4 mins in, probably should’ve been a red card but was just a yellow.

Toni Duggan was spat on - I’m hoping accidentally.

There was a backpass in the box, very close to goal, that the keeper picked up = indirect freekick. Houghton scored.

Just before half time Ellen White scored. The flag was then raised for offside, but when it went to VAR it was shown she was onside and it was reinstated.

However, the Cameroon players saw the replay on the big screen and (I’m guessing) saw that Nikita Parris was offside on the left. BUT she was literally nowhere near the action/ball/goalkeeper so the goal was fine.

The Cameroon players got really angry about it and were shouting at the ref and all sorts - basically refusing to play.

The ref was frankly a bit hopeless and was just standing there waiting for them to start playing again - she should have taken control and maybe even handed out a couple of yellows for time wasting.

They eventually kicked off again, but moments later the whistle blew for half time.

More remonstrations from the players and staff - it was then reported that some of the players were crying in the tunnel and accusing FIFA of racism. I’m hoping that someone showed them the clip properly and explained the decision but God knows!

Second half - England basically fell asleep and Ajara Nchout scored to make it 2-1 - Cameroon celebrates.

It was then referred to VAR... and she was fractionally offside so it was ruled out. She was in tears, the players were furious - it was all a mess. 

Play resumes - at this point all the Cameroon fans (and neutrals I imagine) were booing and whistling. Crazy atmosphere.

Alex Greenwood scores on a corner shortly after she made a bit of a mess and almost caused another Cameroon goal, which Bardsley saved (fortunately - as it was also offside but the stupid new rule meant the flag wasn’t up).

Fran Kirby passes to Jodie Taylor in the box - Taylor makes a hash out of it and sends it wide and high. Just after Kirby passes the ball one of the defenders fouls her - goes to VAR for a penalty check.

TBH it probably is a penalty but the ref waves it off (very diplomatic...)

More playing - England pretty sloppy tbh - not sure how much of that was the atmosphere/crazy game situation and how much is them just not clicking, difficult to tell.

7 minutes of stoppage time.

Towards the end, Engolo with a really bad challenge on Steph Houghton - should have been a red really. Ref goes to check VAR.

Meanwhile the Cameroon Captain Onguene is yelling at Houghton on the floor - can only imagine that she didn’t see the foul because it was a nasty one.

Neville was furious - a few players shouting at each other.

Ref says it’s a yellow (prob should have been a red and might have been had it not been right at the end of the match and in after all the drama).