England emerged victorious in their match against Nigeria in the round of 16 of the FIFA Women’s World Cup, despite the absence of star player Lauren James, who received a red card and was ejected from the game. The match ended in a 0-0 draw after regulation and extra time, leading to a penalty shootout.
However, Nigeria failed to capitalize on their chance to secure their first-ever knockout win in the tournament, as European champions England won the shootout 4-2, with only one missed attempt.
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England, having eliminated the defending champion United States in a penalty shootout on the previous day, became the favorite to win the title. However, they struggled to create scoring opportunities against Nigeria’s strong defense.
The situation worsened for England when star forward Lauren James was shown a red card, following a VAR review, for violent conduct. The incident occurred when James, after falling on top of Michelle Alozie, stepped on her with her studs upon getting back on her feet. Initially, a yellow card was shown, but after slow-motion replays and a few minutes of delay, it was replaced with a red card.
The British media drew parallels between this incident and David Beckham’s famous red card for kicking out at Argentina’s Diego Simeone in the 1998 men’s World Cup in France. As a result of the red card, James will be suspended for at least one match, and possibly for the rest of the tournament.
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Hasibur Rahaman is a passionate sports journalist. He covers everything from cricket to field hockey, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis of sporting events, both within India and on the international stage.
