August 7 – A Women’s World Cup of seismic shocks so nearly produced another today when European champions England were given an almighty scare before edging out a far superior Nigeria team on penalties.
Playing the last three minutes of normal time and the whole of extra time with 10 players following the dismissal of Lauren James for a blatant stamp, England held their nerve to win 4-2 on spot kicks after a goalless draw in Brisbane to squeeze into the quarterfinals.
Sarina Wiegmann’s team will know how lucky they were after Nigeria missed the chance to win a knockout match at the tournament for the first time in nine attempts and become the first African side to win any knockout game at a women’s World Cup. They hit the woodwork twice, had 18 attempts in all and had what looked like a clear penalty late on not even considered by the referee.
With Germany, Brazil, Canada and defending champions the United States all having been eliminated, the draw had opened up for England. But they so nearly went the same way.
It was a far cry from the 6-1 thrashing of China in their final group game and whoever England play next, they will have to up their game and do so without James, one of the tournament’s rising stars who lost her head by placing her studs on Michelle Alozie as she climbed off the Nigerian player after both had fallen to the ground.
An initial yellow card was upgraded to red and James now risks being banned for the rest of the tournament in what was a similar display of petulance to David Beckham kicking out at Argentina’s Diego Simeone at the 1998 men’s World Cup in France.
Nigeria coach Randy Waldrum, American coach of the University of Pittsburgh’s women’s team, praised his side – ranked 40 in the world – for going head to head with the European champions.
“I’m so proud of them, to come in and play like we did tonight,” Waldrum said. “We had every opportunity to get it done. Unfortunately, we couldn’t quite get it done. We had the best chances, we hit the crossbar twice. When it gets to penalties, it’s anyone’s game.”
Contact the writer of this story at moc.l1714524182labto1714524182ofdlr1714524182owedi1714524182sni@w1714524182ahsra1714524182w.wer1714524182dna1714524182