Fifa World Cup 2023: England def Nigeria in penalty shootout, Lauren James red card video
World Cup favourites England have survived an almighty scare - and the shock send-off of superstar Lauren James - to advance in the most dramatic fashion against World No.40 Nigeria.
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VAR twice dealt England a cruel blow in their do or die clash with Nigeria but it wasn’t enough to put an end to the European Champions World Cup dreams - keeping their cool to claim victory in a penalty shoot out.
First VAR took away a penalty, then it sent star player Lauren James from the field overturning a yellow card to a straight red - after she trod on a Nigerian player’s back.
England managed to hold on for the dying minutes of the game with just 10 players on the field sending the game to extra time and then a penalty shootout.
It almost came undone when England’s Georgia Stanway shouldered the pressure of the opening penalty kick and missed - sending it wide of the goal.
It didn’t matter though with Nigeria’s Onome Ebi all but replicating the shot.
It was Beth England who scored the first goal of the night for England.
Nigeria struggled, missing their second shot.
England didn’t miss again - closing out the shootout 4-2.
It was a huge blow for Nigeria who were deserving of the win after putting it to the Euro champions all night.
The African nation have had an impressive tournament - beating the Matildas 3-1 and drawing with Canada and Ireland.
But they just lacked composure in front of the goal on Monday night.
Nigeria’s Rasheedat Ajibade was a standout - she was hard to miss with her blue hair and fluro pink boots.
But it was like there was more than one of her on the field.
If she didn’t have the ball she was working to get it.
She tore past England’s midfield and had a shot at goal in the early minutes of the game which caused Mary Earps to show off her gymnastics skills in between the sticks.
Ajibade was lucky to avoid gifting England the lead when she had a tussle in the box with Rachel Daly. The referee awarded it a penalty before opting to check the footage after a VAR review.
She reversed her decision - a blessing for Nigeria and a blow for England.
Then late in the second half VAR once again dealt England a curve ball - overturning a yellow card decision against star Laruen James and ruling it a straight red.
It was deserved - James, who had been bullied by the Nigerian defence all night, lost her cool when Michelle Alozie snatched the ball from her feet before ending up on the ground.
James then proceeded to stamp on Alozie’s back - sending her to the changerooms for the rest of the game.
With the arm wrestle ending at 0-0 after 90 minutes of football both teams were sent back out on the field for two 15 minute halves of extra time.
The first term was all about Nigeria but they still didn’t manage to get a point on the scoreboard.
Alozi had their best chance but lacked the composure to slip it past Earps - sending it wide of the post.
England put up a better fight in the second term but Nigeria still had the extra player.
Both teams had their chances but still failed to convert them.
England will now face the winner of Colombia and Jamaica at Stadium Australia on Saturday.
THE PENALTY SHOOTOUT
For the second night in a row, we go to penalties. England have Mary Earps in goal, while Chiamaka Nnadozie is between the sticks for Nigeria.
MISS! 0-0 England’s Georgia Stanway shouldered the pressure of the opening kick but it proved to much - missing the goal putting England on the back foot.
MISS! 0-0 Desire Oparanozie stepped up for Nigeria and copied Stanway - putting it in the exact same spot as Stanway
GOAL! 1-0 England. Finally - Beth England has put the first goal away for the match - putting England up 1-0 in the shoot out
1-0 England. Another Nigeria MISS. Nigeria’s Michelle Alozie put it straight over the net into the loudly booing England fans
GOAL! 2-0 England. Rachel Daly has put England in a good position with a perfect penalty
GOAL! 2-1 England. Nigeria’s Rasheedat Ajibade has been a stand out all day, and she keeps Nigeria’s hopes alive with their first goal of the night
GOAL! 3-1 England. Alex Greenwood put England’s third away but they were cautious not to celebrate too loudly just yet
GOAL! 3-2 England. Christy Ucheibe kept Nigeria’s hopes alive cooly slotting the ball home
GOAL! 4-2 England. Chloe Kelly sealed the deal for England sending them through to the quarter finals
8.07PM: WE ARE GOING TO PENALTIES!
Could a second World Cup favourite have their dreams dashed by a penalty shootout?
After 90 minutes of football, including an overturned penalty, a VAR given red card and 30 minutes of extra time Nigeria and England are deadlocked at 0-0.
The match will now be decided by a penalty shootout.
England did superbly well to battle on after losing Lauren James to a red card for an ugly stamp on an opponent late in regulation time.
But now it comes to the cruellest of endings: penalties.
7.45PM: ENGLAND CLING ON AFTER RED CARD
By Erin Smith
It has been all about Nigeria in this opening term of extra time - but they still haven’t managed to get a point on the scoreboard. Michelle Alozi had their best chance but lacked the composure to slip it past England keeper Mary Earps - sending it wide of the post.
The ball has hardly crossed the halfway line - with England really struggling with just 10 players on the field.
English fans are too nervous to cheer with the beat of the Nigerian supporters’ drums echoing through the stadium.
The score still sits at 0-0
7.30PM: ENGLAND-NIGERIA GOES TO EXTRA TIME
England is going to have to put up a mammoth fight if they wish to keep their World Cup dreams alive.
Staving off a lively Nigeria with just 10 players for two 15 minutes halves won’t be easy.
The match, still 0-0 - has been a true arm wrestle,
If a winner isn’t found in the next 30 minutes it will be determined by a penalty shootout.
7.20PM: WATCH: JAMES’ RED CARD OFFENCE
LAUREN JAMES SEES RED 🟥
— Optus Sport (@OptusSport) August 7, 2023
England’s no. 7 is sent off after a stamp on Michelle Alozie’s back.
A moment of madness.
Watch LIVE | https://t.co/DPxyhCyuGZ#FIFAWWC#OptusSportpic.twitter.com/TRqmIKNxc4
7.15PM: RED CARD FOR ENGLAND
This game has just gone up several hundred notches – and England are suddenly in enormous strife.
England’s rising star Lauren James will have to watch the rest of the match from the change rooms after losing her cool and earning a straight red card.
James, who had been bullied by the Nigerian players all match, lost her cool in a tackle with Michelle Alozie - standing directly on her back while she was laying on the ground.
After initially being handed a yellow card, the penalty was upgraded to a red after VAR intervention.
The decision was met with a mix of cheers and outrage from the spectators.
6.55PM: 65th min: ENGLAND CAN’T SHAKE NIGERIA
Do we have another round of penalties on our hands?
After the drama of last night, and Sweden’s dramatic penalty shootout triumph over the USA, this England-Nigeria contest looks like it could be headed the same way.
20 miuntes into the second half and neither side can find the back of the net, despite both sides coming within a whisker of finding the opening.
Nigeria has arguably had the better of the match, with 10 shots on goal to England’s eight, including one which rattled the crossbar.
But neither goalkeeper has been beaten... yet.
6.30PM: ‘GOING TO HELL’: TRUMP ATTACKS ‘WOKE’ TEAM USA
Donald Trump has delivered the most scathing (and ridiculous) reaction to the USA’s surprise elimination from the Women’s World Cup saying the entire country is “going to hell”.
Team USA’s hope of a three-peat came to a brutal end against Sweden on Sunday night when a penalty shootout and VAR decided their fate.
It’s the earliest the team has ever exited a tournament and the first time goal line technology has decided a team’s fate in a shootout.
Megan Rapinoe – who has long been “at war” with Trump – was one of three US players to miss a spot kick and she did not escape the former president’s astonishing attack on the team.
Taking to Truth Social – an alternative and extreme social media platform set up by Trump after he was banned by multiple others – the 77-year-old unleashed.
“The “shocking and totally unexpected” loss by the U.S. Women’s Soccer Team to Sweden is fully emblematic of what is happening to the our (sic) once great Nation under Crooked Joe Biden,” he wrote.
“Many of our players were openly hostile to America - No other country behaved in such a manner, or even close.
“WOKE EQUALS FAILURE. Nice shot Megan, the USA is going to Hell!!! MAGA.”
6.25PM: NIGERIA RATTLE ENGLAND IN FEISTY FIRST HALF
By Erin Smith
Brisbane is proving to be a fortress for Nigeria who have come close to knocking the crown off the Lioness heads in their Round of 16 clash.
Nigeria, ranked 40th in the world, were far from favourites against European champions England - but that didn’t stop them testing the Cup favourites.
The African nation have already beaten the Matildas at Brisbane Stadium and drawn with the Republic of Ireland to lock in their top 16 battle with England.
Nigeria hardly had the ball in the first half - but when they did they made it count.
They had five shots, three of which were saved by the keeper, in the opening 20 minutes.
England didn’t manage to fire one off at their net in the same time frame.
Nigeria’s Rasheedat Ajibade was a standout - she was hard to miss with her blue hair and fluro pink boots.
But it was like there was more than one of her on the field.
If she didn’t have the ball she was working to get it.
She tore past England’s midfield and had a shot at goal in the early minutes of the game which caused Mary Earps to show off her gymnastics skills in between the sticks.
While Nigerian goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie was not put under pressure often - when she was she didn’t panic - swatting the balls away quicker than a cat pouncing at a laser light.
England’s first real chance to take the lead - a penalty after a tussle in the box - was snatched from them almost as quickly as it was granted with the referee reviewing the VAR footage and reversing her penalty decision.
The decision fired the Nigerian side up even more - who launched a high pace attacking game for the last 10 minutes of the first half.
England were far from terrible - they had plenty of ball and chances but had a case of goalbox fever - sending their shots and crosses anywhere but the net or a teammate’s feet.
At half time the scoreboard reads 0-0.
6.05PM: DRAMA AS ENGLAND PENALTY RESCINCED
Major drama in Brisbane as England are controversially awarded a penalty just after the half-hour mark – before having it quickly rescinded.
England’s Rachel Daly was knocked over in the box by Rasheedat Ajibade while awaiting a cross in from a free kick.
The Nigerian players are furious, and immediately remonstrate with referee Melissa Borges, believing the contact was minimal.
And they have a point, with Daly appearing to make the most of the contact. Borges turns to the video screen to double-check her decision and after a quick check, she overturns the original decision.
And after all that drama… we’re still scoreless.
6.00PM: ENGLAND 0 - 0 NIGERIA
We’re 30 minutes into this knock-out clash and it has been a helter-skelter affair.
England - favourites to win the entire World Cup - were widely expected to do this easily, but they’ve been quickly put in their place if they were planning for a cruisy night.
Both sides have been presented with opportunities to score, with perhaps the best chance coming to the underdogs when Ashleigh Plumptre hammered a shot from near the edge of the box into the crossbar.
From the rebound, Ifeoma Onumonu forced a sharp save from England.
The Lionesses have not been without hope, of course - the best of which fell to Lauren James, but she fizzed her chance over the bar.
5.30PM: GAME ON IN ENGLAND-NIGERIA CLASH
As entrees go, this one is pretty tasty.
While you warm up for the Matildas’ main course tonight against Denmark, you can whet the appetite with another Round of 16 clash – the old foe, England, against a more recent foe, Nigeria.
Nigeria put the Matildas’ entire World Cup campaign on life support with a stunning upset in the group stage, and have shown they are capable of the spectacular this tournament – also snaring a draw against Olympic champions Canada.
But they’re firm underdogs in this encounter with England, the new tournament favourites.
4.30PM: HUGE BOOST FOR ENGLAND
England’s bid to win the 2023 World Cup has been given a massive boost, with key midfielder Keira Walsh named in England’s starting line-up for the last-16 clash against Nigeria in Brisbane.
Walsh was stretchered off after injuring her knee in England’s 1-0 win over Denmark on July 28 and there were doubts about her ability to take any further part in the tournament.
The injury was not as serious as initially feared and England team management confirmed Walsh would start against Nigeria.
European champions England are now favourites for the World Cup after Sweden knocked out the United States, who won the last two editions.
Should England beat Nigeria, they would face either Jamaica or Colombia in the quarter-finals.
3PM SWEDEN PARTY TIME
It was a call so close that even Sweden’s players needed to see it again to believe it.
After knocking off the United States in the Round of 16 in the World Cup on a penalty kick goal that crossed the line by millimeters, Sweden’s star players had to see it for themselves back in the locker room.
Images of the Swedes celebrating their upset win over the U.S. Women’s National Team early Sunday morning also showed them on their phones seeing just how close a call it was.
Some players even had to zoom in on their phones to see how the ball had just crossed the line on Lina Huryig’s game-winning shot.
It was ultimately the goal-line technology that determined the ball had crossed the line, securing the victory for Sweden and a gutwrenching loss for the USWNT.
Sweden players were also seen jumping on tables and singing after the match.
Sweden players zoom in on phone to see stunning goal that beat USWNT: ‘Loss for words’ https://t.co/etMI1I9iNgpic.twitter.com/uFh9ulcgNa
— New York Post (@nypost) August 6, 2023
There were wild scenes from inside the Sweden dressing room as well as their team bus long after the final whistle had gone in Melbourne.
Den glider in! 🎶🚌#SWE | #FIFAWWCpic.twitter.com/Iwoz6iAJ0t
— Svensk Fotboll (@svenskfotboll) August 6, 2023
The celebrations have begun, ABBA probably cued.
— SHE scores bangers (@SHEscoresbanger) August 6, 2023
pic.twitter.com/CbvpZLBqRG
1:45PM FOWLER FEVER HITS PNG
Matildas-mania is alive and well in Australia as they prepare for their do-or-die World Cup clash with Denmark but 2,746km away in a small village in Papua New Guinea, Fowler-fever has taken over.
Just within Port Moresby sits Kira Kira village. It was the birthplace of Matildas star Mary Fowler’s mother Nido and where she met the striker’s father Kevin before they relocated to Australia and had their five children.
Now, Kira Kira is a sea of green and gold. Everywhere you look are reminders that this unassuming town represents a huge part of Fowler’s heritage, and they could not be prouder.
Since she came off the bench to score in Australia’s warm-up clash with France and news of Sam Kerr’s calf injury broke, Fowler has become a central figure in the Matildas campaign.
A huge banner draped over a village street says: “Kira Kira Village, the home of Koita Maiyago” – which translates as “girl from our tribe”. Below it is her full name, Mary Boio Fowler. Mary is also her paternal grandmother from Ireland and Boio is from her maternal side.
1:15PM KEEPER HEROICS STUN THE WORLD
If you missed any of the USA’s clash with Sweden last night you wouldn’t have seen the exceptional performance of goalkeeper Zecira Musovic.
The Chelsea keeper - who incredibly is not a guaranteed starter for the English side - pulled off some truly world class saves to deny the USA a spot in the quarter-finals.
Of the 17 attempts on goal for Team USA, 11 were on target and Musovic was forced to pull off some incredible moves to keep the ball out of the net.
Check them out.
MUSOVIC HAS DONE IT AGAIN!!!
— 7Sport (@7Sport) August 6, 2023
She has single-handedly kept Sweden in this game 🔥🔥🔥#FIFAWWCpic.twitter.com/z5eBTgV4Fj
What. A. SAVE! 🧤
— Optus Sport (@OptusSport) August 6, 2023
Zećira Mušović with a save of the tournament contender to keep out Lindsey Horan 🤯
Watch LIVE 📲 https://t.co/gowDciYkbp#OptusSport#FIFAWWCpic.twitter.com/U2sBrWmJfb
“You can only love the feeling of when you’re in the zone and stuff is happening in a way that you’re just doing it,” said Musovic, who battles with Germany’s Ann-Katrin Berger for a starting place at Chelsea.
“I had a really good feeling before the game. We had a good feeling in the squad, we know what we are capable of.”
Sweden coach Peter Gerhardsson said her player-of-the-match antics could have weighed on American minds when they lined up to take their penalties.
Megan Rapinoe, Sophia Smith and Kelley O’Hara all missed from the spot, leaving Lisa Hurtig to send Sweden through 5-4 and become the first team ever to eliminate USA before the semi-finals.
“I don’t know what she did, what mental thing that she did to make them put them over the bar and things like that,” he said.
“But I think goalkeepers like these kinds of penalties, they’re mentally prepared, that’s their game.
“She was good in the game. Even if she didn’t save any penalties, I think for the other team, maybe they put it outside because they know that if it’s not a good penalty, maybe she takes it.”
Japan await Sweden in the last eight.
11:15AM SMIRK AND LAUGH? STAR ABUSED FOR BIZARRE PENALTY REACTION
Megan Rapinoe called it “a sick joke” after missing her penalty in the shootout in her farewell Women’s World Cup as holders the United States were turfed out in the last 16 by Sweden.
The Americans were searching for an unprecedented third straight World Cup title but instead are heading home after a night of drama in Melbourne.
Rapinoe, the 38-year-old who is retiring from football at the end of the season, came off the bench and then missed a penalty as Sweden won 5-4.
For so long the face of women’s football at home and abroad, she was close to tears in her post-match interview.
“It’s a tough one. There’s just some dark, dark comedy in me missing a penalty in my last game ever,” Rapinoe said after the game.
“I mean, that’s a sick joke. I just - yeah. I can’t believe it. I never even hit them over, ever, when they’re saved. So yeah, I mean, that’s just how it goes.
“This is the balance to the beautiful side of the game. I think it can be cruel and just not our day.”
Rapinoe was slammed by fans for appearing to smile after she missed the spot kick, something former Matilda Heath Garriock insisted was likely out of being embarassed.
“Astonishing we are speechless,” she said on Optus Sport. “The drama throughout this and the emotion. The US deserved to win that game. This is where individual pressure comes into it. “You’ve never seen Megan Rapinoe miss a penalty and that was the biggest moment of her career. She smiled as she turned around probably out of embarrassment.”
10AM MIRACLE RECOVERY
Keira Walsh has given England a fitness boost by returning to team training earlier today before their World Cup clash with Nigeria on Monday.
This comes two days after the Barcelona midfielder was spotted training alone for the first time since her injury scare last Friday.
Her ongoing recovery will come as welcome news to Lionesses fans with her side aiming to claim a quarter final spot.
Walsh, 28, has stepped up her rehab since damaging her knee during the Lionesses’ World Cup group stage defeat of Denmark
The England ace has been out of match action since being stretchered close to half time of that match on July 28.
Earlier this week the FA revealed the midfielder, who missed her side’s 6-1 demolition of China on Tuesday, had been put on an individual training programme.
And she was seen at the Lionesses’ Central Coast Stadium training base on Friday for the first time since officials confirmed she had not sustained an ACL injury.
It is not yet known whether Walsh will feature for England in their last-16 duel against Nigeria at Brisbane Stadium at 08:30 UK time.
Their clash with the 11-time Women’s African Cup of Nations champs will be one of the sternest tests they have faced this year.
8:30AM DEVASTATION ACROSS TEAM USA
Forward Alex Morgan, like Rapinoe part of the teams which won the titles in 2015 and 2019, was also crushed.
“Just devastated. Feels like a bad dream and I don’t know, the team put everything out there tonight. I feel like we dominated, but it doesn’t matter,” she said.
“On the day we’re going home, it’s the highs and lows of the sport of soccer it’s just, it doesn’t feel great... it’s a tough one to swallow,” she said.
Morgan, 34, was uncertain about her future with the team.
“I don’t know, I was so focused on the World Cup that I don’t know, I’m just ready to get back to San Diego, get back to work, go from there,” she said.
7:30AM COACH QUITS
Milena Bertolini stepped down as head coach from the Italian national team after their early exit from the World Cup.
Their early trip home followed a disaster at last year’s Euros, seems she’s probably walked before being pushed.
“Football is an extraordinary metaphor for Life,” she wrote on Instagram. “Because when viewed from a two-way street it can build bridges. The bridge that creates and makes every relationship fertile and constructive; that bridge that must be built well when advancing together with the teammates towards the opponent’s goal.”
It was all rather metaphorical. But essentially, she’s walked.
Italy managed just one victory in their group. It came against Argentina. They got annihilated 5-0 by Sweden and went down 3-2 against South Africa.
7AM DOES THE COACH WALK?
United States coach Vlatko Andonovski, who had been under pressure after a series of underwhelming performances in Australia and New Zealand, said his team deserved to win.
“I’m very proud of them and devastated for them that we have to go out the way that we did. I thought we deserved to win this game, I thought we created enough to win this game,” he said.
“We put up a fight, we represented this country proudly and showed what we stand for and did everything right.”
Lina Hurtig squeezed home the winning spot-kick for Sweden after Zecira Musovic pulled off an incredible 11 saves during the game to keep them in contention.
US skipper Lindsey Horan said it was a cruel way to end the tournament. “Penalties, to be frank, they suck. They’re cruel, I’ve gone through too many in my career, and I’m proud of every player who stepped up to take one today,” she said.
It was always going to be hard for Andonovski to fill the shoes of Jill Ellis, who led the team to back-to-back World Cup triumphs.
But he did not want to dwell on what his future holds.
“I thought we had a great game plan, great strategy. We executed the game plan, we had the right personnel on the field to do that and if I had the chance all over again I’d probably do the same,” he said.
The willingness of Rapinoe and other US players to express their political views, along with their successful campaign for equal pay with the men’s team, has earned them support from some politicians on the left and opposition from others on the right.
Back home, First Lady Jill Biden hailed the team.
“You made this sport matter. Today, you inspired us with your grit and determination. We are proud of you,” she tweeted.
“Always remember that you encourage women and girls everywhere to show up and fight for their dreams,” she wrote.
Originally published as Fifa World Cup 2023: England def Nigeria in penalty shootout, Lauren James red card video
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