England scraped into the quarter-finals of the Women’s World Cup when they beat Nigeria 4-2 on penalties in Brisbane on Monday.
England scraped into the quarter- tests of the Women’s World Cup when they beat Nigeria 4- 2 on penalties in Brisbane on Monday. Despite Nigeria having the better of the chances, the European titleholders– reduced to 10 players after 87 twinkles– snuck home in front of 50,000 observers after the match had finished 0- 0 at the end of redundant time. England held on after playmaker Lauren James entered a red card for a dispensable stamp and will know they’ve to ameliorate if they want to add the World Cup to their European crown.
They will face Colombia or Jamaica on Saturday for a place in the semi-finals.
England got off to a terrible launch in the penalty shootout when Georgia Stanway fired wide, but Desire Oparanozie could not take advantage and missed with an nearly identical trouble.
Beth England made no mistake, but Nigeria’s Michelle Alozie shot way over top to give England an advantage they no way surrendered, sealing the palm when Chloe Kelly calmly converted.
“The first thing is we really stuck together as a platoon,” said England trainer Sarina Wiegman.
“It was a veritably, veritably hard game, also we had a red card but we made it through extra-time and also won on penalties.
“How we did that, and how the platoon just kept going, I am so proud of them.”
“It says so important about this platoon. Not one game has been easy and we knew and knew before this game it’ll not be easy.”
The Lionesses, who last time won the European Championship at a packed Wembley Stadium in London, were anticipated to win comfortably against the world’s 40th ranked platoon.
The Nigerians, still, have shown in this World Cup that they’ve the game to challenge anybody.
They stunned hosts Australia in the group stage, taking advantage of their speed in the transition to score a 3- 2 palm.
And they employed the same tactics against England, whose back three were regularly exposed by the Nigerian attack.
“They are veritably systematized, veritably transitional, veritably physical and that is exactly what we saw,” said Wiegman of Nigeria.
“But we made it through and I am really happy.”
Nigeria trainer Randy Waldrum was proud of his side.
“To come by then and play the way they did tonight, I however we were every bit as good( as England),” he said.
“We had every occasion to get the result and unfortunately we did not get it done.
“Obviously we did not execute on our penalties and when it gets to that point, it’s anyone’s game.
“We had the stylish chances, we hit the bar doubly in regulation play. We were a bit unlucky not to get commodity out of it.
“But credit to England, they’re a great side.”
England started the match explosively and rattled Nigeria in the opening skirmishes as the Lionesses set up plenitude of space out wide.
They also controlled possession, completing 173 passes in the first half to Nigeria’s 83.
But it was the Nigerians who looked the most dangerous and they gave the European titleholders a real fright on a number of occasions.
England- born Ashleigh Plumptre had two golden chances to open the scoring, the first coming in the 16th nanosecond when a strike from outside the box crashed into the bar.
A nanosecond latterly she forced a fine diving save from Mary Earps.
The Nigerians had eight shots at thing in the first half, three further than England, whose stylish chance fell to Alessia Russo in the 23rd nanosecond.
The alternate half followed the same pattern, but England had a golden chance to seal the match with 15 twinkles left only for Chiamaka Nnadozie to pull off a fine save from Rachel Daly’s important title.
In extra-time, Nigeria again looked most probably, Michele Alozie and Oshoala both going near, but neither platoon could break the impasse. Know More Latest Women’s Football News…
