It’s been utter madness to cover that one, to be fair. I was bashing fingers all over the keyboard. Thanks for all your fine contributions on VAR and everything else. If you want you can join me in a bit for France v Brazil. MADNESS!
So to go through from Phil Neville there. He is certainly not happy and it’s fair enough. England will just be pleased they got through that.
Neville: “It didn’t feel like football. It was a good win, we played OK.
“That wasn’t football in terms of the behaviour. This is going out worldwide! I didn’t enjoy it, my players didn’t enjoy it.”
“There are young girls out there seeing that behaviour and it’s not right.”
How much sympathy did you have for them? “None!”
“I think the referee took pity on them as we should have had a penalty and them a player sent off.”
“I am proud of my players for having discipline and going out and playing football.”
Scathing from Phil.
Here is the report ...
Full-time: England 3-0 Cameroon
Well, well, well. What a fun encounter in Valenciennes. England never really got going in this match but have come out of it with a really simple win but that is not the story. VAR has taken centre stage once again and the reaction of the Cameroon players to the second goal will be remembered for a long time to come.
Updated
90+8 mins: Takounda with a horrible stamp on Houghton who lands on the Cameroon coach in the technical area. It was a needless challenge at this stage of the game. Onguene is right in the referee’s face again. Not a great day for Cameroon this. We are going to VAR for the challenge as it was a red card. The referee gives Takounda a yellow, despite it looking like a red to me. Let’s just get this done with.
Updated
90+4 mins: Good news everyone! I was right in my preamble:
@Will_Unwin "The football will probably all be irrelevant and we’ll just be discussing VAR for the 90 minutes anyway.". Good prediction Will. Now tell us what will happen with Brexit
— Andrew Clark (@pssGuy) June 23, 2019
90+2 mins: Sue Smith gives Steph Houghton player of the match, which is fair enough. She took her goal well and has ensured Cameroon have caused few problems at the back.
Andy Bradshaw on VAR: “In regards to VAR, the main issue is the fact no one knows the decision process. In cricket they went through this process and it’s taken nearly 10years to get it to a point where the third umpire is heard by everyone and you can see what they’re looking at and can usually work out how they’ve reached the decision. This is sometimes ruined by the waste of carbon operating the tech, but it’s usually fine and works pretty seamlessly.”
90 mins: Seven minutes added on. Cheers VAR.
89 mins: Cameroon are still battling here to get a goal but just can’t find that clinical pass in the final third. A cross bounces off Greenwood for a corner.
87 mins: Not a classic end to the game here.
@Will_Unwin The answer to Joachem Blad is that without VAR, a rocking game would have gone into the last half-hour at one apiece, with plenty of controversy to keep us busy for a long time afterwards. That's football as we loved it for most of my life, why is it worse than this?
— The Justin Horton Show (@ejhchess) June 23, 2019
85 mins: Onguene shows a flash of brilliance to go round an England midfielder but she can’t find the final pass and England crowd her out.
Tony Reekie on VAR: “In the old days of one or two months ago the referee and assistants would have made those decisions right or wrong as they were borderline and the game would have carried on. Some of the VAR decisions in this match have been dodgy and it has utterly killed the game. Progress eh?”
83 mins: Taylor almost gets a goal with a little dink beyond the onrushing goalkeeper but Johnson chases it down and clears it off the line for a corner.
Updated
81 mins: Parris finds space out wide and sends in a low cross for the waiting Taylor but the goalkeeper reads it claims the ball.
Michael Konopka joins the debate: “A lot of the VAR decisions that people seem to have issues with seem to be the result of interpreting slow motion video of the event. It leads to decisions being made based on millimeters or makes tackles appear more violent or egregious than they do in real speed. Require that reviews must be made at full speed and if it can’t be determined from that, go with call on the field.”
79 mins: Chris McVandi sums up our opinions: “VAR is Very Annoying Replay.”
77 mins: Kirby and Parris combine, before the former lays it onto Taylor in space but her shot is pretty atrocious and goes well wide. Kirby was possibly fouled in the area and we’re going to VAR. Looks like it’s going to be a penalty ... Kirby got caught on her foot after the ball had gone. The referee takes her time and gives a goal kick. I have no idea anymore. Maybe it was a diplomatic decision.
74 mins: All very bitty now. Not a great spectacle.
72 mins: All quiet in Valenciennes at the moment.
Joachem Blad on VAR: “I cannot understand everyone complaining about VAR! If VAR wasn’t there today, a completely fine England goal would have been disallowed and a marginally offside Cameroon goal would have stood, influencing the game hugely. The game is a lot more fair with VAR than it was without, a fact somehow quite often overlooked...”
VAR is good for my inbox, that’s for sure.
70 mins: A pretty tame cross is sent into the box where Ngo Ndom comes to claim under no pressure but drops the ball, allowing Taylor to take possession. England fail to make the most of it and the ball is scrambled away.
68 mins: Bronze goes on a run through the middle but is met on the edge of the area by Onguene who ensures she goes no further with a crunching tackle. Down the other end an offside Abam races onto a pass, goes clean through but her low drive is saved by Bardsley. It does not matter anyway as the flag is put up in the end.
66 mins: Scott sends Kirby away down the right but the Chelsea player’s cross is a poor one, allowing Cameroon to cut it out.
Ian Plenderleith states: “The VAR was consulted or intervened four times in the first half during Germany-Nigeria yesterday. I was in the stadium, and it got to the point where the large parts of the crowd started booing every time the ref put her finger to her ear. Resistance from the masses! Despite Fifa‘s reffing coordinator Pierluigi Collina claiming it‘s been a success, the view from anyone not working for Fifa is that VAR needs a serious re-think, at the very least.”
64 mins: A Cameroon corner is lifted into the box where Takounda attempts an overhead kick but she completely misses her shot and England clear the danger. Taylor comes on for White, meaning England now have 1 to 11 on the pitch, which is an exciting prospect.
Tor Turner emails: “To add to your overflowing mails on the subject, I’d like to suggest that for marginal VAR calls like that one, they should introduce something similar to how “Umpire’s Call” works in cricket reviews.
“Distance < a certain value offside (6 inches maybe) should be down to the ref on the grounds that the differential is so marginal, unless there’s an obvious advantage in play by being just offside (like evading an offside trap manoeuvre by defenders), the original decision stands.
Would allow for more nuance in the face of scenarios like that one.
England looking rocky here. Against Norway I’m not feeling our chances. And that’s assuming we don’t do a Scotland/England men’s cricket team and snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.”
62 mins: Kirby clips the ball through to White in the area, the striker spins and lifts the ball over the goalkeeper but it loops beyond the bar.
60 mins: Nchout gets the ball in the box, works it onto her left foot but she does not hit her shot cleanly and it squirms to Greenwood on the edge of her own six-yard box and she whacks it clear.
GOAL! England 3-0 Cameroon (Greenwood, 58)
Duggan tries to wriggle through a couple of defenders but the ball ends up going behind for a corner. Duggan sends in a low cross to Greenwood who runs onto it and smashes it into the net. What a well-worked corner. Game over here.
Updated
55 mins: A long ball is sent over the top for Takounda to chase, Bardsley hesitates and the ball is lofted over her but Greenwood recovers and clears before a belated offside flag is raised.
53 mins: There are boos from the crowd. I am not exactly sure who they are from, though. This is all getting a bit tetchy. Takounda, seconds after coming on, latches onto an atrocious backpass from Greenwood but Bardsley stays big and blocks the shot. What a chance that was!
Mark emails in: “Can we please stop using VAR for offside, UNLESS it’s to correct an obvious error? If a player is so marginally offside the referee andlinespersoncan’t spot it, it is giving the player no strategic advantage. It’s simply spoiling the game and it isn’t what the off side rule was designed to do. Now officials are under pressure to spot everything as all their decisions are so publicly exposed. I strongly suspect without VAR England’s goal would not have been flagged, and can one really believe Cameroon wouldn’t have scored if the player had been half a foot further back?”
51 mins: The offside in the England goal was not tight, this one was incredibly narrow even if it was the right call, which is adding to anger. Nchout is crying on the pitch. The players are rightly emotional but the referee has to take control of the situation here.
49 mins: NO GOAL! Cameroon take advantage of a poor kick from Bardlsey, sending in a cross for Nchout to fire beyond the England goalkeeper. It goes to VAR for an offside in the buildup to the goal ... and it’s ruled out! This will not please Cameroon, especially as she was offside by a millimetre. It’s all kicking off on the sideline.
Updated
47 mins: A quiet start to the second half, which is a relief to all concerned.
Second half!
Here we go again!
Adrien Dunnion says: “Also, Kuwait refused to play after Giresse scored against them in 1982, then France refused to play when the ref overturned the decision.”
Good news! Cameroon are back out on the pitch. Hopefully they’ll be kind enough to play the second half.
We have more on France circa 1982 ...
@Will_Unwin It's me again, sorry to be a pain! France-Kuwait from 1982 (I think); the Kuwaitis refused to restart after a French goal.
— Adam Kline-Schoder (@AHKlineSchoder) June 23, 2019
There is someone out there with a greater memory than me ...
“Do I remember France having a grand sulk after a goal was disallowed against Kuwait 1982?” Roger Kay asks.
Julian Menz says: “Yes, the goal was rightly given, but it just goes to show, once again, that the current offside law is a complete ass.
“The goalscorer was obviously onside, but one England player was clearly offside. She might not have been ”directly” involved at that moment, but the defence and goalkeeper still have to take that player’s potential threat into account, and react to the situation accordingly.
“The mere presence of an attacking player in a threatening position means that said player is very much involved in how the passage of play progresses.”
They might be harsh on Cameroon as they are pretty cynical on the pitch. They were lucky not to have someone sent off for an elbow today.
@will_unwin this text commentary is the only means I have of following the #WWC in a TV-less village in Benin, so I can't watch the players' every move, but whether or not that call was correct, it seems like refs are harder on the African teams.
— Ruby Pratka (@mllemarguerite) June 23, 2019
Rudi asks: “Has it ever happened that a team refused to play on during a world cup match? If so, what happened?
“Just wondering as I’m watching the game. Greetings from the Netherlands!”
I can’t think of any ...
From our reporter at the match ...
Entire team remonstrating with the ref this is surreal pic.twitter.com/LE59kf62qR
— Suzy Wrack (@SuzyWrack) June 23, 2019
According to the BBC the Cameroon players have complained in the tunnel about racism in relation to the second goal being given. It was clearly onside!
Claire McConnell on the band: “It IS there, because after about 15 minutes I said to my son “at least that bloody band isn’t there, and just 2 minutes later they started up.”
Cnoyes says: “To quote Phil Neville I see nothing in this England team that gives me fear. They have been poor. Cameroon almost seem surprised at how much of the play they have been given. Playing like this, England will lose to the first good team they play in this tournament.”
Cameroon update: they had a post-whistle huddle and a little chat. I suspect they will be moaning a lot in the dressing room, too.
Joe Pearson emails: Either that or my tv coverage is slightly delayed, as you occasionally report things before they happen in front of my eyes.
Yes, yes I am.
Half-time: England 2-0 Cameroon
England deserve to be ahead but if we’re being honest they haven’t actually been very good. They haven’t tested the goalkeeper apart form the goals, which is an odd thing to say. Cameroon have been pretty poor, mainly just trying to kick England and disrupt play, not to mention their reaction to the goal.
45+6 mins: The Cameroon team are refusing to restart the match, claiming the goal should not have been allowed. They have shouted at the ref and she has spoken to the captain who is explaining to her teammates why the goal was given. This is farcical and mildly pathetic. The referee has to put a stop to this.
Updated
GOAL! England 2-0 Cameroon (White, 45+3)
Bronze knocks the ball through to White in plenty of space on the edge of the box, the England striker turns and puts the ball into the bottom corner. The flag is put up but it turns out that she is at least half a yard onside and it goes up to VAR, with the goal understandably given.
Updated
45+2 mins: Kirby releases White in the box but her shot is blocked by the covering defender. Duggan sends the subsequent corner straight out of play.
45 mins: Four minutes added on.
Tim says via email: “Watching in Denmark, is that bloody band still trumping out the cliche songs, or is it just an aberration on Dansk TV channel 3? Good game last night with the old enemy sorting out England’s old enemy.”
I think the Cameroon fans have some drums and whistles but nothing that could be described as a band.
While Johnson is treated, someone has sent in some actual analysis.
@Will_Unwin Lucy Bronze subtly adjusting her positioning to be open for a pass, or stepping up to make an interception...she just makes it look so easy. What a player she is.
— Adam Kline-Schoder (@AHKlineSchoder) June 23, 2019
44 mins: Ejangue performs an overhead kick to clear the ball from inside the area, much to the appreciation of the crowd. Johnson is down with an ankle injury after Kirby caught her.
Yes, you missed the rule change.
@Will_Unwin Since when are you able to take a goal kick and pass it to a teammate in your own area? Did I miss a rule change?
— Jesse McClure (@Jesse4Judge182) June 23, 2019
42 mins: The ball is whacked into Kirby on the halfway line but it bounces of her foot and goes 10 yards backwards towards a Cameroon player as they counter again. England see what is coming, regroup and get the ball back. England really need to up it here.
Updated
40 mins: The ball is whacked towards the dugouts and the Cameroon coach tries to catch it but he has reactions of Massimo Taibi and it bounces off his shoulder and past him.
38 mins: England are looking a touch sloppy here and need to keep hold of the ball better. I think the physicality of Cameroon means they want to play it quicker before the inevitable late challenge.
36 mins: It still surprised me when a goal-kick is knocked to someone inside the area. Cameroon do a short goal-kick and then naturally whack it aimlessly long.
34 mins: Duggan looks to attack down the left but is forced a long way back and the ball ends up with Cameroon who counter. It looks like it’s about to get dangerous until Enganamouit tries another optimistic shot from distance but falls over and England take possession once more.
32 mins: Greenwood is caught in possession and she tries to rectify her mistake but only succeeds in holding back Abam and a free-kick is awarded 35 yards or so from goal. Enganamouit whacks the set-piece towards goal but it goes a long way over.
Updated
30 mins: David Wall on cowards: “As well as VAR being used pathetically in this World Cup, it also seems to have made the referees into cowards. That elbow was hardly subtle and the referee (or at least the assistant) should have spotted that and sent the player off, without the need for VAR (they made this point at half time in the Germany - Nigeria game yesterday, how the ref didn’t think that was a penalty herself is beyond belief). And what happened to playing advantage and then going back to book players for bad fouls in the build up? In that move leading up to Duggan’s effort on 22 minutes one of the England players (I couldn’t see who, I think it was Parris - are they targeting her?) was completely cleaned out after flicking the ball on.”
28 mins: England are just popping the ball about, moving Cameroon about as they look to bide their time here. It’s all happening in the middle of the pitch until it’s sprayed out to Parris who sends in a cross which is deflected into the goalkeeper’s arms.
Updated
26 mins: England are far better than Cameroon who just looking to knock it long without any form of success. Cameroon can neither time a pass or a challenge.
Arlo Katts points out: “I can’t remember the last time I saw an indirect free kick in the penalty area!”
I might propose a Guardian Joy of Six on indirect free-kicks.
24 mins: Scott and Onguene clash in the middle of the pitch. The Cameroon midfielder has gone down with something or other and the ball is eventually kicked out. It allows everyone to get some water onboard at least as Onguene hobbles off.
22 mins: A lovely move from England ends with Duggan getting space on the edge of the box but her shot curls just wide of the post.
20 mins: Scott and Leuko have a good old fashioned battle for the ball, resulting in Cameroon getting a soft free-kick. It’s good for England to show they can compete if it gets physical.
Updated
18 mins: Scott tries to send a pass to Parris down the line but it has far too much on it and flies out of play.
Jeffrey Lilly has emailed in: “Watching from the USA today, and appreciating the Guardian’s usual unmatched excellent coverage of the sport. Despite the whiny ravings of a minority of certain fragile men, I love soccer in all of its forms. The women’s game has a different feel than the men’s but is no less interesting or dramatic. I also love sporting events like this and the Olympics that bring together nations and cultures. If there’s hope for humanity yet, these events are important reminders that we can all come together to play by a universal set of rules and compete without killing or stealing from each other.”
16 mins: A very silly bit of incompetence from the Cameroon defence has let them down here, hopefully they won’t try to get over it by getting more physical.
GOAL! England 1-0 Cameroon (Houghton, 14)
We have a long time to wait after the Cameroon players struggle to understand that they need to be on the line. During the commotion Duggan complains that Ejangue has spat on her (I think it was an accident when shouting). In the end the indirect free-kick from six yards out is tapped to Houghton who calmly slots the ball into the corner with 11 Cameroon players running at her!
Updated
12 mins: White latches onto a pass and whacks a cross along the six-yard box towards Duggan but it is intercepted by Ejangue who only succeeds in knocking the ball back to her ‘keeper and it’s a backpass.
England have an extra fan.
@Will_Unwin Welp seeing as my Matilda’s lost the battle with VAR and penalties last night I guess I’ll send my support to the Lionesses, seeing as my family ARE English.#COMEONENGLAND
— Stuart Ives (@StuarttheIves) June 23, 2019
10 mins: Duggan sends in a cross but it is cleared out to Parris who can’t find a way through to goal from the edge of the area and Cameroon sweep up once again. Parris then gets to the byline and lifts one to the front post which is easily gathered.
Re the elbow ...
@Will_Unwin another complete failure by VAR obviously design for keepers moving rather than elbows in faces.
— Paul Howarth (@TOOFEE) June 23, 2019
8 mins: Cameroon are already wasting time and when they do have the ball just send it very long without much of an aim.
6 mins: Cameroon are looking to play on the break in this match and therefore barely had a kick.
Charles Antaki questions more of the selection choices today: “The BBC has the ruminative, side-trackable Jonatan Pierce commenting - shame they’ve not stuck with Robyn Cowen, who’s been excellent so far - direct, concise, relaxed, and less given to distraction. Unlikely as it is, this could be England’s last game here, so it would be a shame not at least be seen out by a female commentator.”
4 mins: Parris tries to go round Leuko who whacks her elbow into the England winger’s face. She is booked but surely it needs to go up to VAR as that is a red card! But nothing happens because the use of VAR in this tournament has been pathetic.
Updated
2 mins: England are looking to keep possession early on here and they know they will have a lot of the ball today, not to mention the fact that it is pretty warm at pitch level, so they won’t want to overexert themselves too much. Feudjio clatters into Bronze, just for fun. Could be a physical game.
Kick-off!
Let’s get ready to rumble!!
Updated
Phil West wants to chat more Lineker v Cameroon in 1990: “I watched that game at my fiancee’s house in Istanbul - one of the most stressful England games ever! For the only time in my life I walked out of the room when GL had his second penalty - just couldn’t watch!! Let’s hope that doesn’t happen tonight!btw - still married 29 years later!!”
Phil’s been married almost as long as I’ve been alive ...
The anthems are being pumped out in Valenciennes. The stadium looks pretty much full, which is great news for the game.
Updated
Suzanne Wrack is at the game where it looks pretty warm ...
🚄 Paris 🛫🛬 Nice 🚗 Montpellier 🚗 Nice 🛫🛬 Paris 🚗 Le Havre 🚗 Valenciennes 🚄🚄 Paris 🚄 Rennes 🛫🛬 Nice 🛫🛬 Lille 🚗 Valenciennes... #ENG #CMR #FIFAWWC pic.twitter.com/MZTM1OvXUI
— Suzy Wrack (@SuzyWrack) June 23, 2019
POWER!
Dion Dublin says England need to keep their discipline and cannot be drawn into a physical battle. England are the better side here so need to just play their own way.
The big man himself has been on ...
One of the best days of my sporting life was playing against Cameroon in a World Cup knockout game. Hope @Lionesses are just as fortuitous. Come On England.
— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) June 23, 2019
A US fan has filed some needle in my inbox: “So which member of this England team is tasked with the Lineker role of falling over in the box when this Cameroon team proves more than a pushover?”
We are all waiting for the first VAR of the day!
I am a big Demi Stokes fan having seen quite a few Man City games last season, so I am surprised she is seen as second-choice left-back in this team. Alex Greenwood has looked good when she has played, though, so merits the chance to start in the knockout stages.
James Anderson has been in touch: “hi my name is james Anderson and i hope England women will win the game.”
Good to hear ...
Steph Houghton is confident of Karen Bardsley’s ability when it comes to saving penalties if a shootout is required.
“KB is probably the most prepared keeper I’ve ever played with,” the defender said. “The keepers do a lot of work. We’ve got four great keepers. KB showed what she was about (against Japan), Carly did the same against Argentina.
“When those moments matter, people step up and they’re the match winners. For me, if it came to a shoot-out then I’d have full faith in the keepers we have.”
It’s a knockout!
2 - Cameroon have reached the knockout stages of the #FIFAWWC for the second tournament in a row (also 2015); they lost 0-1 to China in the last 16 in 2015. Familiar. pic.twitter.com/NvR7TUWyZU
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) June 23, 2019
Rob Harris emails in his disdain: “Just seen the England team sheet and amazed he has left their only authentic playmaker Karen Carney on the bench again. Kirby has a tendency to give the ball away and make the wrong decisions and England improved significantly when Carney replaced her against Argentina, and also when she came on against France. Neville is supposed to rate her highly but it seems not.”
A bit of a chat with Karen Carney ...
A slightly frustrating lineup for England, as it is almost a perfect 1 to 11 but Ellen White starting over Jodie Taylor means we have No 18 on the pitch, rather than the No 9. What a shame for tradition.
Nchout scored twice in the win over New Zealand and is Cameroon’s main threat. Njie Enow tells us more about the forward ...
Neville has gone with Kirby over Stanway despite the Chelsea player’s performance during the tournament. One assumes Kirby will be motivated to prove her worth to the team on a day like this.
A night of firsts ...
1 - This will be the first competitive meeting between England and Cameroon. England won their only previous #FIFAWWC match against African opposition, beating Nigeria in 1995 (3-2). Lionesses. pic.twitter.com/09pJUYTiZZ
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) June 23, 2019
What’s keeping Phil Neville up at night? Not much really ...
Lineups: England v Cameroon
England: Bardsley, Bronze, Houghton, Bright, Greenwood, Walsh, Scott, Parris, Kirby, Duggan, White
Cameroon: Ngo Ndom, Nchout, Leuko, Ejangue, Johnson, Aboudi Onguene, Feudjio, Yango, Awona, Enganamouit, Abam
Preamble
Good afternoon!
The knockout stages are upon us and it’s a key date in Phil Neville’s calendar as the Lionesses look to show what they’re made of when it really matters. After get through a tough group without reaching fifth gear, the players know there is plenty more to come.
Neville says he is yet to see anything that scares him at this World Cup. Cameroon really shouldn’t put much fear into this England side, but they have shown they can mix it with the best in France. They beat New Zealand in dramatic fashion to get this far and the Kiwis saw off England in a recent friendly, which is a sign of the danger that they offer.
The football will probably all be irrelevant and we’ll just be discussing VAR for the 90 minutes anyway.
