England has secured a hard-fought spot in the quarter-finals of the Women’s World Cup after triumphing over Nigeria 4-2 in a penalty shootout held in Brisbane on Monday.
Nigeria dominated the chances throughout the game, but it was the European Champions who managed to scrape a win in front of 50,000 spectators after the match ended 0-0 at the end of extra time.
It’s worth noting that the European Champions played with 10 players for the last 87 minutes.
Following playmaker Lauren James’ red card for a needless stamp, England demonstrated their determination by holding on during the match.
However, they know that enhancing their performance is critical if they aspire to add the World Cup title to their European crown.
With their eyes set on the semi-finals, England will face either Colombia or Jamaica on Saturday, in what promises to be an exhilarating clash.
A woeful start to the penalty shootout for England saw Georgia Stanway’s shot go wide. Despite the opportunity, Desire Oparanozie replicated the miss with an almost identical effort.
England’s penalty shootout began on a sour note as Georgia Stanway’s shot missed the target. However, Desire Oparanozie couldn’t seize the moment and replicated the miss with an almost identical attempt.
Without any mistakes, Beth England confidently converted her penalty, whereas Nigeria’s Michelle Alozie’s attempt sailed far above the goal, gifting England an unyielding advantage. The win was confirmed when Chloe Kelly coolly converted her spot-kick.
The Lionesses, having clinched the European Championship at Wembley Stadium in London last year, were predicted to comfortably defeat the world’s 40th-ranked team.
The Nigerians have made a statement in this World Cup, illustrating their ability to challenge even the strongest contenders.
The hosts Australia were left stunned as they fell victim to their opponent’s swift transitions, resulting in a surprising 3-2 defeat during the group stage.
They adopted the same tactical approach against England, systematically exploiting their back three with the Nigerian attack.
England had started the match strongly and rattled Nigeria in the opening skirmishes as the Lionesses found plenty of space out wide.
Throughout the first half, England maintained a firm grip on possession, completing 173 passes, while Nigeria could only manage 83.
Meanwhile, the super falcons kept the European champions on their toes with their dangerous attacks, causing genuine concerns on multiple occasions.
England-born player Ashleigh Plumptre created two promising opportunities to break the deadlock. The first chance came in the 16th minute, with her powerful strike from outside the box nearly finding the back of the net as it hit the crossbar.
A minute later she forced a fine diving save from Mary Earps.
Throughout the first half, Nigeria showcased their attacking prowess with eight shots on goal, outdoing England by three attempts. Alessia Russo came close for England in the 23rd minute.
The second half mirrored the first, England retained their dominance in possession, while Nigeria displayed a more dangerous attacking prowess.
With only 15 minutes left in the game, England had a crucial opportunity to seal the match. However, Chiamaka Nnadozie’s excellent save from Rachel Daly’s header denied them the chance to secure the win.
As expected, the game entered extra time, with Nigeria showing greater promise in attack. Michele Alozie and Oshoala both had close attempts, but neither team could find a breakthrough.