Cameroon players reveal they have no regrets over their controversial behaviour against England
Players for the Cameroon team have revealed they have no regrets over their controversial behaviour against England.
Making their way home today, the fallout from their antics during the Women's World Cup match on Sunday night is still making headlines.
England ran out 3-0 winners over a frustrated Cameroon side to set up a quarter-final tie with Norway.
However the African side, angered by decisions that went England's way -particularly a disallowed goal - confronted the referee, argued with their own coach and for a time refused to play on.
Ajara Nchout, whose goal was ruled out, told ITV News the behaviour of the Cameroon players did not cross a line. She said: ''No, I don't regret anything. Because we played for our country, we love our country. We need to give everything.''
The African side were a goal down within a quarter of an hour after Toni Duggan teed up a strike for captain Steph Houghton from an indirect free-kick inside the penalty area following a back pass to Cameroonian goalkeeper Annette Ngo Ndom.
England then doubled their advantage four minutes into added time in the first half thanks to a calm finish from Ellen White – a goal originally ruled offside.
Enraged by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) decision to allow the goal, the Cameroonians appeared to refuse to restart the game.
With some players visibly angered by the decision, the referee was forced to wait a few minutes before the game could restart.
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Cameroon were once again aggrieved by VAR after seeing their goal early in the second half ruled out for a marginal offside all.
Ajara Nchout fired the ball into England's net and a VAR review saw that effort chalked off for offside.
The game was held up once more as Cameroon made further angry protests, with Nchout in tears.
The game was paused while the referee tried to regain control.
Cameroon player Michaela Abam told ITV News, it was a highly-charged match. She said: ''It's a sign of emotion. And when it happens and you have a game like that, it's kind of hard.''
Alex Greenwood then put the game beyond any doubt with a controlled left-footed finish after a well-taken corner kick.
Referee Qin Liang made another VAR check following a Ysis Sonkeng challenge on Fran Kirby, with no penalty awarded.
Just minutes from the end, a yellow card tackle by Alexandra Takounda left Houghton with an ankle injury.
Having come through a test that also saw them receive some rough treatment and Duggan spat on, England will now face Norway on Thursday in Le Havre for a place in the semi-finals.
Speaking after the match, England manager Phil Neville said he was "completely and utterly ashamed" of Cameroon's behaviour, and that if they were his players they "would never play for England again".
"I sat through 90 minutes there and felt ashamed," Neville said in a post-match press conference.
"I'm proud of my own players' performances and behaviour under circumstances that I've never seen on a football field before, and completely and utterly ashamed of the behaviour of the opposition.
"I didn't enjoy the game for that reason, my players didn't, apart from the fact we're now in a quarter-final.
"All those young girls and boys that are watching back in England, playing in grassroots football - we've had millions of people watching England play a game against Cameroon with that kind of behaviour. I think it's pretty sad.
"It takes you back to the times when you were a kid, you lost and you went home crying with your ball."
What did England fans make of the match?
When he was asked about a claim from Cameroon's midfielder Raissa Feudjio that their boss Alain Djeumfa had told his team at half-time that "the referee wants England to win", Neville said: "Their team mirrored their manager.
"If that was any of my players, and it will never be, they would never play for England again, with that kind of behaviour.
"I feel sorry for the referee. The decisions were correct.
"I would say get your ship in order first, before you start throwing stones."
Neville, whose players have been staying at the same hotel as Cameroon's, also made reference to "people fighting in the VIP area" and "Cameroon people fighting at our hotel", but declined to expand on the subject.
When asked if he felt FIFA should take action over what had happened, Neville said: "I'm hoping this is just an isolated incident with a group of players that so desperately wanted to do well.
"I think the images will be powerful and I think that will be enough of a punishment and deterrent from doing it in the future.
"I'm sure they regret how they behaved."
Watch the moment Cameroon player Michaela Abam tells ITV News, it was a highly-charged match
In his post-match press conference, Djeumfa said he felt the free-kick should not have been awarded, that his side "showed fair play" and that "the referee made a lot of mistakes".
He added: "Ultimately I don't think we ever stopped and refused to play.
"Ultimately I think my players were examples.
"Occasionally when you are in a state of shock you can lose your cool, but I don't think the players ever really refused to play the game.
"I think they showed professionalism and I take my hat off to them for that."