Thanks for joining me. I am off to sleep now. The match report is coming your way ...
France will play Spain or USA in the quarter-finals.
Full-time: France 2-1 Brazil
In truth, France just about edged it but there wasn’t much in it. It’s good to have the hosts going deep into the tournament and they’ll be there on merit.
120 mins: Two minutes added on.
118 mins: Majri goes down with cramp. Top timewasting. Karchouai replaces her.
116 mins: Brazil are struggling to find enough energy to get a crucial equaliser.
114 mins: Diani almost seals France’s progression. She bursts into the box and fires a shot towards the top corner but Barbara palms it wide, not that the officials spot it.
Peter Oh says: “If this score holds (I have family in Brazil watching, so I do not want it to hold), it will be a Henry with a decisive France goal to knock Brazil out of the World Cup. Like in the men’s tournament in 2006. I’m still mad at Roberto Carlos for pulling up his socks instead of marking Thierry Henry.”
112 mins: The France fans are trying to keep their players running with a slow hand, Icelandic clap.
110 mins: A lot of tired limbs out there ...
108 mins: Can Brazil bounce back from this?
GOAL! France 2-1 Brazil (Henry, 106)
Diani wins a free-kick on the right. Majri whips it in for players to attack and Henry is the one who gets on the end of it and diverts the ball home from six yards.
Updated
Second-half, extra-time
More football.
I am about to enter my eighth straight hour of MBMing. I might be delirious about VAR.
Half-time, extra-time
We are heading for penalties, aren’t we?
105 mins: What a clearance! Debinha breaks the offside trap, gets into the box and toe pokes the ball beyond the ‘keeper but Mbock Bathy Nka sees where it is going and clears it off the line.
104 mins: A corner is lifted onto Diani’s head who powers an effort towards goal but it’s straight at Barbara.
102 mins: France have a free-kick in a dangerous position but Majri sends it straight out for a goal kick.
Ruth Purdie wants a red for Geyse: “That’s a red card there Will. She knew what she was doing and left her foot in there.”
100 mins: Thiney lifts a corner beyond the back post which Henry sends back into danger but no one in a white shirt can get a crucial final touch and it bounces behind.
98 mins: A ball is lifted over the France defence for Geyse to chase. The substitute is quick but the goalkeeper gets there first to claim, although the Brazilian catches Bouhaddi and she requires treatment.
96 mins: Cristiane is carried off. Good work by Majri on the left results in her lifting a cross to the back post but the ball bounces kindly for the Brazil defence who clear.
94 mins: Cristiane tries to shoot from downtown but the effort of whacking it from the halfway has knacked her hamstring. She is down and not getting up anytime soon. Needless to say, she didn’t score.
92 mins: A quiet start to extra-time. I have been reminded of my Tony Cascarino anecdote, though, so will tell that at the end of the game.
Jeremy Hurley has some advice for us all: “People have such short memories if all the dodgy goals that were given before the introduction of VAR. Its like reading an echo chamber, VAR VAr Var var va v.......watch the game and stop moaning.”
Extra-time!
Thirty minutes more you say?
Justin Kavanagh on VAR: “The future of football might involve an offside official whose only purpose will be to deliver the bad news to the players that the VAR lads have found the striker to be offside…again. If this newfangled VAR stuff had been around in Filippo Inzaghi’s day, every game would have taken about four hours.”
I’d hope not but England wouldn’t scare me at the moment.
@Will_Unwin bit obvious but i wonder whether Phil Neville has now seen something to worry him?
— Patrick Ferriday (@MasterlyBatting) June 23, 2019
Full-time: France 1-1 Brazil
Extra-time is required. Mine’s a pint.
90+4 mins: Debinha gets the ball into the box to Beatriz who stretches to shoot but she cannot control the shot and it flies wide.
90+2 mins: Gauvin chases the ball into the channel but her cross into the box is snaffled by Barbara. Marta tries to get away from Henry but the France skipper stops that with a tap on the ankle.
90 mins: Five minutes added on.
Toby Rutland is in: “I’ll join you and Paul Connoly for that pint, and would argue that the referee thought that could have been a penalty but bottled it and waited to see what the VAR said. She even stopped play for the Brazilian defender who was not at all injured, was that to give the VAR guys some more time?? Var worked well for the Brazil goal tbf”
I think anyone could have spotted the offside without the use of cameras.
89 mins: A deep cross is headed on by defender Diani and lands at Marta’s feet but she fails to get a shot away before being closed down.
Mary Waltz says: “Well, my pre game and half time predictions were completely off the mark. But in the grand tradition of our current political leaders I will reject responsibility for my words and blame it all on the EU, fake news, and the French measles style kit.”
87 mins: NO GOAL! The ball is played through to Tamires who is an acre of space. She has so much space for a reason: she is a mile offside. Regardless she puts the ball in the back of the net and celebrates before the flag goes up. VAR confirms it very quickly, which shows how far off she was.
Updated
85 mins: Cristiane’s quick feet gets her beyond Diani who gains revenge by taking her down. Andressinha whacks the free-kick but it bounces perfectly for the ‘keeper to take.
83 mins: Beatriz cuts across Torrent and gets booked.
80 mins: Santos gets done by Le Sommer on the left and then cleans her out as she gives away the foul. She is not booked but does end up with cramp. Bussaglia’s free-kick lands in the ‘keeper’s hands.
78 mins: Henry spins away from a defender with ease but her cross is too close to Barbara who still requires two attempts to claim the ball.
76 mins: Paul Connolly agrees with me, let’s go for a pint: “I’d support your argument in the 70th minute. Katheleen went right through Gauvin’s back.
“I must say I’m disappointed by the quality of refereeing in this tournament.”
74 mins: Diani puts the ball past Tamires who then takes her down but the referee adjudges it not to be a foul. Down the other end Debinha whacks a low drive from 20 yards but it’s straight down the ‘keeper’s throat.
Paul Rhys emails: “So a great goal from Brazil gets all the excitement sucked out of it by a VAR call. Yes it went in their favour...but is the line-o more inclined to raise her flag, “just to be safe”, because she knows she has VAR as a safety net? It was a clear no-interference offside. The whole system is making me want to stop watching the top competitions because even the threat of VAR robs goals of that joyous, unadulterated outburst of emotion.”
72 mins: The free-kick is lifted to the edge of the six-yard box where Le Sommer misjudges it and heads wide when completely free. She might have been a few inches offside, anyway.
70 mins: Katheleen goes down with a sore shoulder after challenging Gauvin in the box for a header but gets nowhere near it. I would argue it’s a foul ... but no one else does.
Diani breaks through a couple of challenges but Formiga then just cuts her down in full flow. Needless to say, she is booked.
68 mins: The fans are keeping the France players going but some are looking a little tired here.
66 mins: Majri tries to send in a cross but Santos gets in her way to stop it.
GOAL! France 1-1 Brazil (Thaisa, 63)
A cross from the left is pulled back into the path of Thaisa who angles a shot into the bottom corner but the referee rules it out, claiming Devinha was offside before receiving the ball. The forward was definitely onside and it goes upstairs for the video guys to confirm it is a goal.
Updated
62 mins: Le Sommer picks up the ball on the left, cuts into the box and fires a wicked shot at goal but it smashes into teammates Gauvin and flies wide. It looked like that was set for the bottom corner, too.
The referee was not ranked ...
Updated
60 mins: All pretty quiet in Le Havre at the moment.
58 mins: Sorry, I lied. Bouhaddi tipped the header onto the bar. Please accept apologies as it was a great save.
France send in a corner which Barbara comes to get but is nowhere to be seen as it flies over her head. Renard gets a touch on it but not in the right direction and Brazil clear.
56 mins: OFF THE BAR! Marta swings in a free-kick from the left, which Cristiane rises highest to head towards goal but the ball bounces off the crossbar with Bouhaddi helpless.
Hubert offers his VAR rules:
I’ve finally made my mind up about VAR. I hate it. I hate it unless three specific rules changes come in with it:
- A handball in the box is only a penalty if the contact is made from a ball struck > 5 feet from the defender’s hand.
- Offside is only awarded when a majority of an offensive player’s body is ahead of the last defender’s body part closest to the goal
- Keepers are allowed a one meter line/box in which to move on a penalty. A keeper has to be allowed to make a slight step in order to cover the corners. One cannot leap from a standing stop to either post. Try it sometime. You can with a cross-step but there is no time for a cross-step
54 mins: Le Havre is bouncing as the fans celebrate the goal and the fact we weren’t put through the trauma of VAR once more.
GOAL! France 1-0 Brazil (Gauvin, 52)
Stunning work from Diani down the right flank and she leaves the full-back to eat dust thanks to a quick turn coupled with pace before putting in a perfect, low cross for Gauvin to slide in. No need for VAR here.
Updated
51 mins: Asseyi drives across the pitch, taking a couple of Brazilians out of the game before laying it off to Le Sommer who slices the ball wide.
USA take on Spain in the last 16 ...
49 mins: Marta chips a free-kick into the box but a French defender comes out on top to head clear.
Earlier Varce
47 mins: A lovely turn from Le Sommer but that’s about it so far.
Second half!
Peep! Peep! Peep! Another 45 minutes of football versus VAR awaits.
Jacqui Oatley says ...
Referee judged that Gauvin had headed the ball out of Barbara’s hands (with her being in control of the ball - i.e it was between her hands) so goal ruled out. Here’s the law - you decide... #FRA #BRA #FIFAWWC pic.twitter.com/8G9i2cMk99
— Jacqui Oatley (@JacquiOatley) June 23, 2019
Not for me, Clive.
Cnoyes says: “Was it just my lying eyes or were Brazil the better team in that opening half? Controlling the tempo of the game beautifully with tough play and careful passing in midfield. Did France end that half without a single meaningful shot on goal? So much for tipping them as favourites.” I am not sure they are controlling it but they are certainly stopping France from getting going.
Half-time reading from Rob Marriott: “Quite apart from whether or not the decisions are right, it’s become increasingly frustrating to see the referee summoned to a screen - after the fully-qualified refs with the dozen monitors have tried to reach a decision - almost every time. I’m sure that VAR wasn’t originally intended to work that way, that involving the on field ref was supposed to be an occasional last resort, and I’m also fairly sure that it was indeed only occasional when the technology first came in.
“I’m not aware of any other sport that takes this approach. Normally, you’d either have the video official make the decision, or you give the on field official immediate access to a screen. But Fifa, for reasons known only to themselves, have created an unnecessary two-stage system which only serves to add an extra two or three minutes to every controversial moment (as well as ending up with a decision being made from only one screen, inside the ground, which completely goes against the principle of having a bank of monitors in a separate quiet location).
“If it was all dealt with more promptly, more logically, I feel there’d
be a fair bit less anger, even with the odd dubious result. Nobody
enjoys the endless waiting.”
Updated
Ruth Purdue offers some analysis: “Brazil are fouling like City do. Do it before the brilliant French attack can get any fluency.
“In other new Marta needs to take fewer touches and play quicker. She has runner ahead of her everytime.”
Half-time: France 0-0 Brazil
VAR VAR VAR VAR VAR VAR VAR VAR VAR VAR. Still goalless.
45+4 mins: Majri gets the ball in space on the edge of the area but rushes her shot and smashes it high and wide.
Abhijato Sensarma says: “I hence declare that every goal scored is a ‘Schrödinger’s Goal’ in a football match involving VAR. The goal has been scored and not been scored simultaneously; it remains in this dual state until the referee - the ultimate observer on the field - has made his decision. At this point, the goal enters a singular state of existence - it either existed, or never did, even though it certainly did as well as did not before the observation was made in the reality of all others.
“VAR decisions boggle the mind, boggle the spirit, and transcend logic. Do I dare say these decision make sense yet don’t simultaneously?”
45+2 mins: Tamires is booked for a cynical challenge, wrapping her legs around Asseyi despite already being on the floor.
Matt Cast makes a bold claim: “This is a really cynical performance from Brazil in terms of fouls and making the most of any contact. I think they’ve now committed more fouls than Cameroon did in the first half v England...”
45 mins: Six minutes added on. Cheers VAR.
Scott Bassett has a solution: “That was a 50:50 for me. The keeper definitely did not have control. Maybe the striker’s hand touched the ball as it was bundled in but it’s another case of “unnatural position suspicion,” which leads me to the question, what exactly is the law and what is the current guidance on how to apply it? Answer: who the eff knows anymore? It was extremely harsh to disallow that. The only answer seems to be detachable arms.”
44 mins: Cristiane breaks into the box from the left, shooting from a tight angle, with the shot repelled by the ‘keeper’s feet. Bouhaddi comes to claim the corner but is given a free-kick after the dropping the ball without really being under pressure. Maybe the referee is just soft on goalkeepers.
David Wall emails: “That’s a good point (32 minutes), i think the issue has always been that the officials in particular games weren’t/ aren’t good enough (however high the general standard is). It was Frank Lampard’s no -given goal against Germany in 2010 that convinced Blatter to accept goal-line technology, but how the linesman on the day missed that was the real issue. It was so far over you could probably have seen it clearly in from the very back row at the other end of the stadium. That’s not to criticise goal-line technology, that has been a quick, decisive, and good addition. But other terrible mistake that really should have been spotted by the match officials just falling well below the required standards have led to the call for VAR. Supposedly it’s to correct the clear and obvious error, the howler (like the DRS in cricket was originally meant to do). But that is just making up for officials failing to perform. A better, easier solution is to put more money and resources into training more, better officials.”
42 mins: Fouls all over the shop here. Not much football in between.
More actual reason:
@Will_Unwin The on-screen graphic on the review said "foul," and I'd think it would say "handball" if the shoulder was the issue. If keepers are to be protected when they clearly don't have possession, I may start playing keeper again.
— Beau Dure 🗯️⚽👨👦 (@duresport) June 23, 2019
@Will_Unwin From a better authority ... https://t.co/j94Q638LxG
— Beau Dure 🗯️⚽👨👦 (@duresport) June 23, 2019
40 mins: Drew Goldie brings reason: “A few years ago a penalty was awarded against a goalkeeper who saved a shot in a one-on-one, but it was deemed a foul because he had followed through and smacked into the centre forward. Even though he’d got his shot away and wasn’t impeded in the slightest.
“This one presumably was chalked off because the French player’s challenge followed through on the goalkeeper, and the goalie fluffing it isn’t relevant.
“It’s the rules that are daft, more than VAR. At least, I think that’s what just happened.”
38 mins: Marta does her best to outfox Torrent but the France defender sticks to her task and puts the ball out for a corner. Marta takes the corner and finds Cristiane whose header loops into the goalkeeper’s hands.
36 mins: Renard goes into the book for a challenge on Devinha. The French centre-back caught her on the knee with studs, which is not great. The Brazil players were asking for a card from the start and got their wish quite quickly.
Toby Rutland is not happy: “Why am I sending this? Why do I care? I have no interest in this game, it’s on in the background. Yet I need to get off my chest how angry I am with Fifa and the plastic officials in their stupid studio, disallowing perfectly good goals (or allowing obviously offside goals) and ruining football.”
Updated
34 mins: Tamires sends a pass through but Bouhaddi is quickly off her line and clears the immediate danger before Brazil are penalised for an offside.
@Will_Unwin Have to say, VAR delays & related nonsense aside, thought it was a clear foul. Keeper gets there first, striker isn’t even looking at the ball and barges it in with a shoulder....anywhere else on the pitch etc.
— Derek Robertson (@derekrocks) June 23, 2019
I think it was a 50:50 and the forward won it. But who knows anymore? Others think the issue was a handball so it certainly isn’t clear.
32 mins: Is the issue that officials just aren’t good enough? Have they not been trained sufficiently?
Barbara now being booed by the home fans, one assumes that she invented VAR.
Lourens van Krimpen says: “VAR is the end of the enjoyment of the game. If this goes on like this lots of people will turn their back. I for one am on the verge.”
30 mins: I still do not know what the goal was disallowed for. This is just silly now. Still scrappy on the pitch.
David Wall emails: “Everyone seems to be anticipating a France - USA quarter final after their respective last 16 games and it’s true that would be a super match up, but isn’t that an extreme case of premature chicken counting? Both Brazil and Spain are pretty decent sides, well capable of upsetting the odds, so you could very plausibly see one or both of the favourites miss out. As i write this France have just scored but there is still a way to go.”
28 mins: VARCE. This is idiotic, no?
26 mins: The goal goes to VAR. The claim is Gauvin took the ball out of Barbara’s hands but the goalkeeper certainly did not have control of the ball when it hit the France player. If this is overturned we should end it all. Oh, it is disallowed. This is silly.
Updated
NO GOAL! France)
The ball ends up in the back of the net after a cross from Diani on the right bounces off the Gauvin’s and into the back of the net. Barbara came to get it but did not claim it. Both ‘keeper and scorer end up on the floor in pain but that is the opening goal as the celebrating France players prove. Oh but it is not.
Updated
22 mins: A little bit scrappy at the moment in Le Havre. Plenty of intent but just lacking a touch of quality.
20 mins: There is a good tempo to this game but still waiting for any real moments of quality.
18 mins: Mary Waltz on kits: “The answer to the question on France’s bizarre kit design. The designer is obviously an anti-vaxer sending out a message to their fellow travellers.”
16 mins: Debinha cuts in from the left and drills a shot from 20 yards but it’s diverted wide by a defender in white. Marta swings in the cross but the goalkeeper does well to cling on when under pressure in the box.
Hubert’s been in touch: “I know this puts me in the minority but for the life of me I can’t reason why. Brazil, to my eye, are vastly superior to France save for the dubious edge of home field. I’m not a gambling man (hence the roof over my head) but I’d take Brazil minus 1.5 goals without a slightest shiver of doubt.”
14 mins: Henry aims a cross into the box but it’s deflected straight to Barbara in the Brazil.
12 mins: A free-kick 30 yards fro goal is laid off to Henry who thwacks well over the bar.
Charles Antaki asks: “The football looks good already but in the early stages, trivia worries come to the fore: if Brazil are in first choice strip, why not the blue shorts and white socks? And why are France in shirts that, in close-up, look like a 12-year old’s pyjamas?”
Sell more kits?
10 mins: Marta gains control of the ball 25 yards from goal, wriggles through a couple of defenders to earn enough space to fire a shot off but she drags it wide from the edge of the box.
8 mins: Brazil dive into a few last-ditch tackles to stop France making it into the box and then clear the pressure. France looking the more confident side early on.
6 mins: Henry does well to dispossess the full-back in the corner and wins another set-piece when her latest cross is turned behind. Barbara fists it to the edge of her own box. She is looking to dominate the box tonight.
4 mins: Henry earns a corner for France after he cross on the turn is deflected out. Barbara comes to claim the corner and gathers the ball at the second time of acting.
2 mins: Plenty of clapping in the stands from the home fans but not much happening on the pitch.
Kick-off!
Let’s get ready to rumble!
The anthems are done and dusted and we’re pretty much ready to go.
Abhijato Sensarma asks:
(1) Who is the favourite today according to you and/or most pundits?
Alex Scott.
(2) Is VAR winning the Golden Boot this year?
Probably
(3) Have your fingers not suffered enough?
Yes
Hope Solo on pressure ...
This game is live on BBC Four which means it’s a high brow, cultural experience.
Do you take requests?
That's how you enter a stadium! 🇧🇷🎸#FRABRA | #FIFAWWC pic.twitter.com/eP001EQ944
— FIFA Women's World Cup (@FIFAWWC) June 23, 2019
Silly rules.
If this game is anything about England v Cameroon then I might not survive the night. Let’s hope for a nice 2-0 win.
Mary Waltz emails: “France has the depth of quality that should overwhelm Brazil. Can Marta discover the fountain of youth and pretend that it’s 20010 and upset mighty Le Bleu? Should be fun.”
I just did the MBM on this madness, too ...
Not a great omen ...
0 - No European host has ever made it past the first knockout game in Women’s World Cup history, with both Sweden in 1995 and Germany in 2011 bowing out at the Quarter-Final stage. Motivation. #FIFAWWC #FRABRA pic.twitter.com/DnRYQDxe0h
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) June 23, 2019
A bit on the France coach ...
Lineups: France v Brazil
France: Bouhaddi, Renard, Torrent, Henry, Le Sommer, Majri, Diani, Gauvin, Bussaglia, Asseyi, Mbock Bathy Nka
Brazil: Barbara, Thaisa, Tamires, Formiga, Debinha, Marta, Cristiane, L Santos, Kathellen, Ludmila, Monica
Preamble
Good evening!
The hosts are looking to take one step closer to achieving the dream of winning their own tournament. They picked up maximum points in the group, with a little helping hand from VAR but they will be rightly confident heading into this game.
Brazil won two out of three in their group, losing a dramatic game to Australia in between. Their results saw them finish only third, which they will not have enjoyed considering the opposition. They possess Marta, who is back fit and makes a huge difference to the Brazil side.
Will France fall to the Brazilians? It will be fascinating to find out.
