If that was any of my players, they would never play for England again,fumes England boss Phil Neville at Women’s World Cup

Cameroon's Augustine Ejangue (left to right), Gabrielle Aboudi Onguene (second left), Ajara Nchout (centre) and Gaelle Enganamouit (second right) appeal to match referee Qin Liang (right) after England's second goal was given by VAR after an offside call.

After Steph Houghton’s 14th-minute opener, Cameroon twice reacted to VAR decisions that went against them by remonstrating with the officials.

England boss Neville, whose team will now face Norway in Le Havre on Thursday for a place in the semi-finals, told BBC Sport afterwards that “it didn’t feel like football”.

And he said in his post-match press conference: “I sat through 90 minutes there and felt ashamed.

“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 kindof 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.”

And when he was asked about a claim from Cameroon’s midfielder Raissa Feudjio that their boss Alain Djeuma 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.”