England survived a major scare to beat Nigeria 4-2 on penalties and sneak through to a World Cup quarter-final against Colombia or Jamaica following a goalless draw. The Lionesses had to overcome the sending off of Lauren James in normal time and the pressure of a shootout to progress to the last eight.
A tense and tight affair
The match was a tense and tight affair, with both teams showing respect and caution. England had more possession and chances, but Nigeria defended well and threatened on the counter-attack. The African champions finished second in their group with one win, one draw, and one loss, scoring five goals and conceding six. They also had the advantage of playing in Brisbane, where they had beaten the hosts Australia 3-2 in a thrilling match.
England, on the other hand, topped their group with three wins, scoring eight goals and conceding only one. They had also switched to a 3-5-2 formation, which gave them more balance and flexibility. However, they struggled to break down Nigeria’s compact and disciplined defence, and were frustrated by their physical and aggressive approach.
The best chances of the first half fell to England’s forwards Lauren James and Alessia Russo, who both tested Nigeria’s goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie with low shots. Nigeria’s best opportunity came from a free-kick by Uchenna Kanu, who curled the ball just over the bar.
The second half was more open and end-to-end, as both teams pushed for a winner. England’s Keira Walsh, who returned to the starting line-up after missing the last game with a knee injury, hit the post with a long-range effort. Nigeria’s Asisat Oshoala, who scored a hat-trick against Australia, had a golden chance to score when she was through on goal, but she was denied by a superb save by England’s Mary Earps.
James sees red
The game turned in the 86th minute, when England’s James was shown a straight red card for a reckless stamp on the back of Michelle Alozie after losing possession to the Nigeria forward. She was initially shown a yellow card but it was changed to a red after referee Melissa Borjas checked her pitch-side monitor on the recommendation of the VAR.
Her dismissal left England facing extra time with 10 players, and they had to dig deep to hold on. Nigeria tried to take advantage of their numerical superiority, but they could not find a way past Earps, who made some crucial saves. England also had some chances to win it in extra time, but they were wasteful in front of goal.
Penalty drama
The match went to penalties, and it was England who held their nerve better. Georgia Stanway and Desire Oparanozie sent their opening sides penalties wide of the post before Michelle Alozie also missed the target for Nigeria to leave England in control. Bethany England, Rachel Daly, Alex Greenwood and Chloe Kelly all scored for England, while Ajibade Rasheedat and Onumonu Ifeoma converted for Nigeria. Kelly’s penalty sealed the win for England, who celebrated with relief and joy.
England will now face either Colombia or Jamaica in the quarter-finals on Saturday. They will have to cope without James, who will miss the next game due to suspension. They will also have to improve their finishing and creativity if they want to go further in the tournament. Nigeria, meanwhile, can be proud of their performance and exit with their heads held high. They showed that they are a force to be reckoned with in women’s football, and they gave England a tough test.
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I hope you enjoyed reading this. What did you think of the match? Do you agree with my analysis? Let me know in the comments below! 😊
