In a heart-pounding match that kept fans on the edge of their seats, England narrowly secured a spot in the quarter-finals of the Women’s World Cup after defeating Nigeria 4-2 on penalties in an intense showdown at Brisbane on Monday.
Despite Nigeria’s dominant performance with better chances throughout the game, the European Champions managed to hang on in front of an electrifying crowd of 50,000, forcing the match into penalties after it ended in a goalless draw at the end of extra time.
Adding to the tension, England had to endure the final minutes with just 10 players on the field after playmaker Lauren James received a red card for a needless stamp.
The Lionesses, who had previously triumphed at the European Championship in a packed Wembley Stadium, were expected to cruise to victory against the world’s 40th-ranked team.
However, the Nigerians proved their mettle and demonstrated their ability to challenge any opponent, as they did earlier in the World Cup by stunning hosts Australia with a thrilling 3-2 win.
In this face-off against England, Nigeria strategically exploited their speed in transition, consistently testing England’s back three. England had initially begun the match strongly, putting pressure on Nigeria in the early exchanges and exploiting spaces out wide.
They dominated possession, completing an impressive 173 passes in the first half compared to Nigeria’s 83. However, it was Nigeria who looked the most dangerous, launching eight shots at goal during the first half, three more than England.
Ashleigh Plumptre, born in England but playing for Nigeria, had two golden opportunities to break the deadlock. In the 16th minute, her strike from outside the box crashed into the crossbar, and a minute later, she forced a fantastic diving save from England’s goalkeeper Mary Earps.
The second half followed a similar pattern, with England maintaining possession, but Nigeria remaining a potent threat on the attack.
As the minutes ticked away, tension escalated, and England had a golden chance to seal the victory with 15 minutes remaining, only for Chiamaka Nnadozie, Nigeria’s goalkeeper, to produce a brilliant save from Rachel Daly’s powerful header.
With neither team able to secure a decisive goal in regular time, the match headed into extra time, where Nigeria once again displayed their intent to clinch the win. Michele Alozie and Asisat Oshoala came close to breaking the deadlock, but their efforts were thwarted.
Ultimately, the fate of the match was determined by the dreaded penalty shootout. England’s Georgia Stanway began on a disappointing note, firing her shot wide, but Nigeria’s Desire Oparanozie couldn’t capitalize on the opportunity and missed as well.
Beth England then converted her penalty for England, while Nigeria’s Michelle Alozie sent her shot way over the top, giving England the advantage they needed. Chloe Kelly remained composed and secured the win for England with her penalty kick.
England’s narrow escape into the quarter-finals sets the stage for an intriguing match on Saturday, where they will face either Colombia or Jamaica for a chance to progress to the semi-finals.
As the competition intensifies, the Lionesses are well aware that they must step up their game if they hope to add the Women’s World Cup to their European crown.
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