By Jean-Damien LesayPosted on 23-06-2019Modified the 23-06-2019 at 19:40
Cameroon was beaten by England in the round of 16 of the Women's World Cup (3-0). If they fell on stronger than they, the indomitable Lionesses leave the competition with a bitter taste in their mouth, convinced to have been heavily disadvantaged by the arbitration, and the VAR in particular.
From our special correspondent in Valenciennes,
The duel of the Lionesses, Sunday, June 23rd in Valenciennes in the eighth finals of the Women's World Cup, was short between England and Cameroon. Under the eyes of Samuel Eto'o, the English quickly realized that they would not have to force their talent to defeat a Cameroon team too limited. With a 3-0 win, they prepare to face Norway on Thursday 27th in Le Havre in the quarter-finals, and must be satisfied they have not drawn on their reserves.
From the start, Cameroon is caught in the throat. The English insist on the right side where poor Yvonne Leuko, warned from the 4th minute, is struggling. And it is right side that arrives a center in withdrawal that the defender Augustine Ejangue gives to its guardian Annette Ngo Ndom, which seizes by hand. The referee whistles an indirect free kick on the 5.5-meter line that English captain Steph Houghton turns into a force (1-0, 15).
Side Cameroonian, aside from a free kick by Gaëlle Enganamouit shot from 35 meters well above the English goal (32), there is nothing to put in their mouths. Two minutes later, the same Enganamouit falls alone on the ground after a totally missed shot, as a symbol of his impotence. The players of Alain Djeumfa never manage to play as a collective. When she goes on a ride of which she has the secret, Ajara Nchout is alone. When she manages to center, Michaela Abam can not find anyone to pick up her ball. And when Gabrielle Onguéné finally has a good ball to play right side, she misses her center (45th).
The VAR gets involved
Then comes a new psychodrama linked to the VAR. When Ellen White slips between the Cameroonian defensive lines to beat Annette Ngo Ndom, an offside is first reported before Chinese referee Liang Qin gives the goal (2-0, 45 + 4). The players of Alain Djeumfa put then a few minutes before taking again the part, persuaded to be victims of a great injustice.
And in their mind, the injustice will continue. In the 48th minute, an interception of Enganamouit in the center shifts Onguéné which puts in withdrawal for Nchout which shoots Karen Bardsley: the elaboration is superb, the perfect concretization. At 2-1 with a half time to play, the match is restarted. But the referee, again, relies on his headset and invalidates the goal for offside.
The game becomes stormy, the public takes up the cause for Cameroon whose players regain strength and vigor. Alexandra Takounda, just entered, fails on the English door (54th). To calm the spirits, the English scored a third goal by Alex Greenwood, only to the penalty spot at the resumption of a corner (3-0, 58th). And the referee, despite two new recourse to the VAR, does not whistle a penalty in favor of the English and gives a yellow card to Takounda for an attack on an opponent late in the game.
As in 2015, Cameroon come out of the World Cup in the round of 16, when its goal was to pass one more lap. But the indomitable Lionesses have shown too much weakness in their four games, and even more blatantly against England, to claim to join the eight best nations in the world.
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