THE LIONESSES SEEMED TO HAVE A ‘BAD DAY AT THE OFFICE’ LAST NIGHT IN THEIR CLASH WITH THE NETHERLANDS, NOT LEAST BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF VAR, WHICH IS STRANGELY NOT MANDATORY WITHIN UEFA’S RULES FOR THE NEW WOMEN’S NATIONS LEAGUE, OR IN THE WOMEN’S SUPER LEAGUE, AND IT WILL, IN FACT, ONLY BECOME APPARENT IN THE LATTER STAGES OF THE WOMEN’S CHAMPIONS LEAGUE AND MAJOR TOURNAMENTS SUCH AS THE WORLD CUP.
ENGLAND CAPTAIN MILLIE BRIGHT HAS BEEN SCRATCHING HER HEAD ABOUT THE ABSENCE OF THE TECHNOLOGY, BUT SAID SHE DID NOT WANT TO USE IT AS AN EXCUSE FOR FAILING TO CLEAR THE BALL BEFORE LIEKE MARTENS SCORED THE OPENER. HOWEVER, IT WAS PLAIN TO SEE BY MOST, AND AFTER FURTHER REPLAYS, THAT IT WAS CLEAR THAT THE GOAL SHOULD NOT HAVE STOOD BECAUSE DANIELLE VAN DE DONK WAS OFFSIDE JUST BEFOREHAND. OTHER GOALS SCORED WERE BY ENGLAND’S ALESSIA RUSSO AND A LATE GOAL BY THE NETHERLANDS’ RENATE JANSEN.
