Valenciennes (AFP)

Cameroonian furious, in tears, who refuse to resume the game before resigning themselves to it: the interventions of the VAR (video assistance to the arbitration) raise tensions at the Women's World Cup, as for men.

"At one point most of us did not want to play anymore, we wanted to leave the match to the English, but as we were playing for our country, we said we would defend our colors until the end. although the referee continued to do his dirty work, "fumbled Cameroonian Raissa Feudjio in the mixed zone, after the elimination 3-0 against England Sunday at Valenciennes in the 8th finals.

The first English goal, scored on an indirect free kick in the area, generated the first frustrations, the Cameroonian saying the defender Augustine Ejangue had not made a voluntary pass to his goalkeeper. "I think it was an abuse," said Alain Djeumfa, coach of Cameroon.

Then the second English goal, just before halftime, set fire to the powders. Refused for offside by the assistant referee, he was finally granted by the VAR because the scorer of England was not in an illegal position.

The Indomitable Lionesses then met and seemed ready to leave the field. "The players never refused to play, minimized Alain Djeumfa, they were very professional, they played together and they took over the game, my players are examples."

- "Many did not want to play anymore" -

After several minutes of palaver, they finally decided to resume the match.

At the beginning of the second half, a new incident: Cameroon managed to reduce the score by Ajara Nchout ... but the goal was canceled by the VAR for out-of-the-game, creating a new floating in the Lionesses Indomitable. It took the intervention of the coach so that they eventually continue the game (49th).

"Many did not want to play anymore, but the coach told us at the locker room: + If the referee has decided that England must win tonight, that's not a problem, you will represent Cameroon, give everything, that the whole world sees that you did everything to play the ball but that the referee gave the advantage to the English + ", revealed Raissa Feudjio.

"The referee was very wrong," said the coach Cameroonian press conference, however, refusing to mention the "arbitration errors" he mentioned.

"Since the beginning of the competition we have only been complaining about the referees, if there is the VAR it's for everyone, but here we have the impression that they are against the African countries and that's shameful for a World Cup, "said Raissa Feudjio.

- The Germans also "irritated" -

African nations are not alone in pestering VAR. Martina Voss-Tecklenburg, coach of Germany, does not like and says: "The many interruptions are emotionally difficult, maybe we'll get to a process where everything will go a little faster, communication and the decision ".

One of her players, Alexandra Popp, has little taste for the cuts caused by the use of video assistance after the first two German goals against Nigeria on Saturday in the round of 16: "When there was the VAR, I was totally I did not know what or how or why! In match, it's a big question mark when you do not know what's checked and why. "

"The long interruptions have broken the rhythm of the match, abounds teammate Almuth Schult.It is not possible that it is already two minutes before the referee decides to go to look at the screen."

And what does the Fifa say? Pierluigi Collina, head of refereeing at the International Football Federation, said at the end of the group stage "very happy that the VAR has worked very well so far". But the famous bald however admitted "that some mistakes were made". "Although it's something understandable, it should not have happened, and I regret it." Without revealing however to which matches he was referring.

? 2019 AFP