Watch: Germany Beats Cameroon 3-1 To Reach Confederations Cup Semi-Final After Video Replay Mess

FIFA has come under fire at the Confederations Cup in Russia this year for its contentious use of video assistant referees (VARs) to review goals, and another such controversy arose on Sunday.

Germany Will Face Mexico In Confederations Cup Semifinal

Germany — the defending World Cup champions — defeated Cameroon 3-1 in Sochi to advance to the tournament semi-finals, and it came at a cost for the African champions.

Cameroon was left with ten players after referee Wilmar Roldan issued a red card to defender Sebasiten Siani for a high tackle on Liverpool midfielder Emre Can in the 63rd minute, as Germany led 1-0. After Cameroon’s players began angrily protesting and upon Roldan’s closer inspection of a field-side camera, video showed that it was in fact right-back Ernest Mabouka who had committed the foul on Can. Mabouka was then dismissed from the game three minutes after the tackle and Siani — who applauded Roldan sarcastically for his incorrect call — re-entered the field at Fisht Stadium and played the rest of the contest.

“The referee did not give any explanation,” said Cameroon coach Hugo Broos about the case of mistaken identity. “It’s a foul, fair enough but both players had their legs high up to reach the ball. I don’t understand why only my player received a red card.”

Broos doesn’t think he was alone in his confusion, however. He added that he believes everyone except for Roldan was perplexed in that moment.

Las week, Cameroon also witnessed referees issue a pair of incorrect video calls in a 2-0 loss to Chile. However, those decisions were made regarding plays involving Cameroon’s opponents. Officials used VARS to review two of Chile’s goals in that opening group-stage game on June 18: the first one was disallowed and the second one counted.

Euro 2016 champions Portugal also became angry last week after what could have been the opening goal of a 2-2 tie with Mexico was disallowed by an offside judge during an earlier moment in the game.

FIFA noted last week that all calls were ultimately corrected, and that the disputes were just unavoidable overreactions to a new play-evaluation system whose technological functioning both teams and officials are still learning and becoming accustomed to.

Siani — as well as FIFA President Gianni Infantino — are among the notable soccer figures who have stated that they firmly believe VARs are “the future” of the sport, and that soccer’s governing body will likely approve them before the 2018 World Cup in Russia next summer. Siani made that assertion following Cameroon’s defeat to Chile last week.

Two minutes after Mabouka was sent off on Sunday, 21-year-old German forward Timo Werner scored on a header to put his team up 2-0. Vincent Aboubakar then scored Cameroon’s lone goal in the 78th minute by flicking a header past Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen’s raised hands and just inside the near post.

However, Werner struck again in the 81st minute with a clean kick from the edge of the six-yard box.

The victory marked Germany head coach Joachim Löw’s 100th win in his 150th game in charge of the national team.

In Sunday’s post-game press conference, Löw said neither he nor Can believed Mabouka’s tackle on the midfielder justified even a yellow card.

“I didn’t have the impression that it was a mean foul with the intent to hurt the opponent. It was not intentional,” Löw said through a translator.

The German coach added that he thinks only one slight adjustment needs to be made to VARs in order to improve soccer.

“I think it can be fine-tuned over time so that decisions can be made more quickly,” Löw said. “That would be great.”

Germany is now at the top of Group B with seven points, and Cameroon has been eliminated from the cup after recording just one point (no victories, one tie and two losses). Löw’s squad will next face Mexico in the second Confederations Cup semifinal on Thursday (June 29) at 2pm EST. Mexico defeated hosts Russia 2-1 on Saturday to finish second in Group A with seven points.

The other semi-final will see Group A leaders Portugal (seven points) face off against Chile — who finished second in Group B with five points — on Wednesday at 2pm EST.

Portugal crushed New Zealand 4-0 in Saint Petersburg on Saturday, while Chile tied with Australia 1-1 in Moscow on Sunday.

SOCHI, RUSSIA – JUNE 25: Vincent Aboubakar of Cameroon attempts to take the ball past Niklas Suele of Germany during the FIFA Confederations Cup Russia 2017 Group B match between Germany and Cameroon at Fisht Olympic Stadium on June 25, 2017 in Sochi, Russia. (Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images)

Article by Pablo Mena