Lionesses Make Historic World Cup Comeback in Penalty Thriller Against Nigeria

England, performing below expectations, managed to hold off Nigeria's dominance for 120 minutes during their World Cup quarter-final match. Despite Lauren James' ill-tempered red card, England emerged victorious in a penalty shootout, winning 4-2 after a goalless draw. This game mirrored the USA's elimination by Sweden, where once again, the team that didn't necessarily deserve to advance secured their spot in the last eight via penalties.

After the excitement of Keira Walsh returning to the starting lineup after her knee injury, Sarina Wiegman decided to stick with the successful 3-5-2 formation that had worked well against China. However, England fell back into their sluggish performance from the first two group matches, as Nigeria recorded 20 shots compared to England's 12.

To make matters worse, England's James (87) received a red card towards the end of regular time for a frustrated and unnecessary stamp on the back of Michelle Alozie.

The situation reminded many of David Beckham and Wayne Rooney in the 1998 and 2006 World Cups respectively - talented young players who faced consequences for their rash actions. As a result, she will not be able to participate in the upcoming quarter-final match, and there is a possibility that FIFA may impose additional disciplinary measures. Twitter

Due to your consent preferences, you’re not able to view this.

Open Privacy Options

Despite facing immense pressure from Nigeria, England managed to push the game to penalties. The shootout saw Georgia Stanway miss her shot, and the Super Falcons missed two crucial penalties, giving the Lionesses the upper hand. England capitalized on this advantage, converting all of their remaining spot kicks, including the deciding penalty taken by Chloe Kelly, the winning goalscorer of Euro 2022. As a result, England secured their place in the quarter-finals, where they will face either Jamaica or Colombia.

How England edged into the quarter-finals

Image:

Chloe Kelly celebrates with team-mates after scoring her team's fifth and winning penalty

The first half in Brisbane was feverish, with Nigeria dominating from the beginning. Alozie's header was met with a strong clearance by Alessia Russo. Ashleigh Plumptre, a former Leicester defender, then struck the crossbar with an impressive shot, and her subsequent attempt was saved by Mary Earps.

England's first shot came in the 23rd minute when Russo capitalized on a Nigeria mistake, but her low shot was well-blocked by Chiamaka Nnadozie. Rachel Daly's half volley from a great corner by Alex Greenwood was also saved by the Nigeria goalkeeper.

However, drama unfolded when England was granted a penalty thirty minutes into the game. Rasheedat Ajibade was found guilty of pulling Daly down inside the box, provoking a commotion among the Nigeria players. Meanwhile, Georgia Stanway prepared to take the penalty, but the referee intervened by reviewing the decision on the screen and ultimately reversing the penalty.

Two minutes after halftime, Nigeria struck the crossbar for a second time. Ajibade delivered a well-executed cross from the left, and Uchenna Kanu's header hit the woodwork. The Super Falcons maintained control of the game and created more opportunities, with Kanu heading wide from a corner later in the half.

England made great effort but missed a golden opportunity to take the lead in the 75th minute. Daly unleashed a strong header towards the goal, but an outstanding reaction save from Nnadozie denied her once again.

The situation took a turn for the worse for the Lionesses with the dismissal of James. Engaged in a heated altercation with Alozie, things escalated when James maliciously stomped on her lower back as they both attempted to rise. The referee initially brandished a yellow card, but after revisiting the incident on the pitchside monitor, it was clear that a straight red card was warranted.

Image:

Lauren James stamps Nigeria's Michelle Alozie and is later shown a red card after VAR review

England were fortunate to push the match into extra time, but their performance did not improve in the additional 30 minutes. Despite both teams becoming fatigued, Nigeria continued to dominate the game. Alozie unleashed a powerful shot into the side of the net, and Asisat Oshoala swiftly fired a snapshot at Earps, as the match eventually led to penalties.

At first, it seemed like luck was not on England's side as their regular penalty taker, Stanway, missed the first spot kick by a wide margin. However, Nigeria also faltered in their next two penalty attempts, with Bethany England's impressive shot in between, giving the Lionesses their first advantage in the game.

They did not let it slip either. Rachel Daly, Alex Greenwood and finally Kelly all found the net, firing England into the last eight.

Kelly: This team digs deep

As a unified group, we thoroughly delve into the task at hand and have unwavering faith in our capabilities. Our utmost priority lies in trusting the instructions we receive.

We have dedicated ample time to perfecting our penalty shots, and the results speak for themselves. Personally, I approached the challenge with a firm belief in my ability to score. Once I conquer the mental obstacles, success is certain.

What's next?

What is the schedule?

The quarter-finals are set to be held on August 11 and 12 in Wellington, Auckland, Brisbane, and Sydney. Following that, the first semi-final will take place in Auckland on August 15, while the second semi-final will be held at the Accor Stadium in Sydney on August 16. Finally, the grand finale will also be hosted at the Accor Stadium on August 20.

A third-place play-off will be played the day before the final on August 19 in Brisbane.