Phil Neville’s recent World Cup haircut has revealed some grey strands and there will be more of them tonight after his England team progressed to the World Cup quarter final in shambolic circumstances, with VAR at their core, which left Cameroon complaining that they had been the victims of a racist conspiracy.
The suggestion was ridiculous. England’s opponents, whose technical levels were desperately poor, were justifiably sent a goal behind by VAR, marginally denied a goal by the same process, and lacked the professionalism to accept the fact.
It was regrettable to see one of their players Ajara Nchout, crying tears of frustration in the tunnel and again on the pitch, but the pantomime was deeply undermining to the credibility of the women’s game. These scenes were straight out of the schoolyard.
Steph Houghton makes the most of a free-kick inside the box to give England the lead against Cameroon on Sunday
Houghton (2nd left) found the bottom corner despite all 11 of the Cameroon players being stood on the goal line
The Manchester City defender (centre) celebrates Jill Scott (right) and Ellen White after breaking the deadlock
Houghton (centre) is congratulated by her team-mates after giving the Lionesses the lead in the early stages of the game
In the tunnel at half time, Cameroon’s players were claiming this was racism - the perpetrator presumably being FIFA. It was to England’s credit that they navigated a course through such madness. Keira Walsh was one of several England players to console Ajara on the field and Neville kept his cool as much as the players. Other managers would not have done.
There has been a surface politeness in the foyer these past few days when it transpired the two teams were both staying at the same Royal Hinaut Spa Hotel but the niceties did not extend to the field. The Indomitable Lionesses were as good as their name, looking very much like a team coached by an individual - Alain Djeuma – who is known as ‘Mean Dog.’
VAR, all-seeing to the point of pedantry at this tournament, somehow did not pick up the unadulterated elbow delivered flat into Nikita Parris’ face by defender Yvonne Leuko, which floored the Liverpudlian in the game’s third minute. Toni Duggan was spat on at one stage as the African nation – second only to China for fouls committed in the group stage – made their intentions clear. ‘We have something up our sleeve,’ Djeuma had said on Saturday night.
England calmly located a higher plane, finding their passing combinations in a first half in which Parris and Duggan switched flanks and Fran Kirby reached the standards she would have hoped for in the group stage.
White shoots to double England's lead after being played through on goal by Lucy Bronze shortly before half-time
White finished coolly after going clean through on goal to put England in firm control of the game at the Stade du Hainaut
