Lucy Bronze refused to shake the referee’s hand after England’s 6-1 win over China and claimed the official “just wanted to give me a yellow card for fun”.
The victory confirmed the Lionesses will progress to the last 16 and will play Nigeria in Brisbane on Monday, but the match also had its controversial moments – with Bronze at the centre of two big decisions by Australia referee Casey Reibelt.
The Barcelona star was still seething long after the final whistle as she expressed her disbelief at some of the decisions that went against the Lionesses, as well as herself.
“As a team it’s something we’ve been through before,” said Bronze, who was otherwise at her usual rampaging best as an attacking right-back.
“At the last World Cup, we went through an even more interesting game with Var and the opposition and refereeing decisions. I think tonight was a little bit easier, but personally I had more go against me than anyone else.
“It wasn’t a fun game in that respect, the referee for me. So, I was quite disappointed with that game to come off with that performance. Playing for England you tend to know that sometimes decisions don’t go your way and luckily enough for us we finished the game off ourselves.”
The first of the two key Var decisions came shortly before half-time. The referee consulted video footage leading up to Lauren James’s second goal and judged that Bronze had been offside, so that goal was ruled out.
“I do think LJ’s goal should have stood, she should have had a hat-trick,” said Bronze. “It would have been a huge moment for her, in her first World Cup to score a hat-trick for England.
“(It hit the defenders back) Yeah, they deliberately played it. I said that at the time, I said that to the referee: I don’t know why you’ve given me offside.”
Then in the second half, Bronze was at the centre of another controversial decision when there was a Var review for a possible handball in the England box.
The ball appeared to deflect of Bronze’s chest and arm, and again the referee ruled against the England defender, showing her a yellow card and awarding a penalty to China.
“I knew it hit my hand, but it wasn’t deliberate,” said Bronze. “Unless I cut my arm off, I don’t know how I get my arm out of the way.
“Again, we sit down with referees every tournament to discuss the rules. The rules are if I’m trying to put my hand next to my body… I said to the girls she’s going to give the penalty because it hits my hand.
“But Mary [Earps] was behind me, if I was trying to hit the ball away, I would have hit my hand in the air. I knew it wasn’t deliberate but I guess she just wanted to give me a yellow card for fun.”
Wang Shuang duly converted the penalty – the first goal the Lionesses have conceded at this tournament – but otherwise it was a straightforward win for the European champions.
