In Azerbaijan, a match involving the Three Lions was halted in the 40th minute after the English side left the pitch to protest an alleged racist insult.
Walk-off during a difficult first half
England were trailing 4-1 in the tournament fixture when the incident occurred. With five minutes of the opening period remaining, the Three Lions abandoned the field in response to what they considered a racist affront.
- Host country: Azerbaijan
- Score when play was interrupted: England 1-4 behind
- Minute of the walk-off: 40th minute
- Reason cited: an alleged racist insult
Racism protest takes precedence
The decision to leave the pitch shifted attention away from the scoreline and towards the allegation made during the match. The protest came while England were attempting to recover from a three-goal deficit in the first half.
