Nottingham Forest youngster caught up in World Cup abandonment over alleged racism

An England Under-15 World Cup match featuring Nottingham Forest youngster Azae Bonnick was abandoned on Monday following an alleged racism incident. Social media footage appeared to show England coach Matt Thorpe instructing his team to walk off after a confrontation between an England player and an Irish opponent. The Group C match held in Azerbaijan was stopped while the Republic of Ireland was leading 4-1.

FIFA confirmed that the match was abandoned due to England's refusal to play, stating the matter will be reviewed by an independent disciplinary committee. The Football Association is awaiting further information. England later returned to the pitch the same day, defeating Zimbabwe 2-0.