MONCTON, New Brunswick -- Mexico coach Leonardo Cuellar had harsh words for FIFA Women's World Cup organizers Friday, strongly implying there is a bias that affects the quality of referees assigned to particular games.
Cuellar's El Tri Femenil, playing the Women's World Cup for the third time, had to settle for a draw against Colombia on Tuesday when the South American country scored a second-half goal to equalize the match at 1-1.
Therese Neguel, the Cameroonian head referee, waved off a stoppage-time goal by Mexico's Charlyn Corral that looked valid to many watching the video replays.
Those replays seemed to haunt Cuellar.
"It was very tough and it's still tough, especially when you read the newspapers in Mexico and you listen to the comments," said Cuellar, who has coached Mexico's squad for over 15 years. "It was not just the disappointment of our team right here, but also it was the disappointment and the anger of our people in Mexico as they saw, time after time, the replay of that goal."
Neguel made her World Cup debut as a referee in the game. Though Colombia's goal was unquestionable, Neguel relied on the goal-decision technology to indicate that Mexico's first-half goal by Veronica Perez was valid.
In many other instances during the game, the calls seemed inconsistent, and that was the crux of Cuellar's complaint.
"For Colombia and us, it was a key match," he said. "I got the impression that we have a group of referees that are not familiar with the level of of the competition, with the scenario, with the type of game that they are going to face. On one play, they changed three times their decision. It was always on the edge. It was going to be for them or for us in the calls, I'm not saying we were only affected."
FIFA tournaments try to bring a variety of referees from around the world, but in many countries where the women's game is still growing, the quality of play can vary widely.
"I think they should put into consideration that every match is very important, because I see the quality of refereeing in the previous game," Cuellar said. "I see the quality of the refereeing of Germany-Norway yesterday, or Canada-New Zealand, and you see how active, how they're never leaving the game, they're not petrified or wondering what they're going to call."
The referee for Canada's game against New Zealand was Germany's Bibiana Steinhaus, who is the first female professional referee in Germany, calling men's games as well as female ones of the highest level, such as the Women's World Cup final in the last edition of the tournament.
Cuellar was aware of the risk he took by speaking out against FIFA officials.
"I might get reprimanded for my comments, but teams work very hard to qualify and teams work very hard to prepare and they want to be on even ground, even considering the human error," he said. "The sequences that affect the game gives you a bad feeling."
Coaches were warned before the tournament began to tolerate some referee mistakes.
"We had a conversation with one of the instructors of the referees prior to the World Cup, like we always do and they always speak on how human error is part of the game, but I think sometimes they should take consideration," Cuellar said. "I expect more of it, to have referees that respect fair play and have a feeling of the meaning and the momentum of the game."
Mexico faces England in what Cuellar described as a "must-win" match on Saturday.