England scraped past fantastic Nigeria on penalties to reach the Women’s World Cup quarter-finals after having Lauren James sent off at Brisbane, Australia.
The Lionesses had a penalty decision overturned in the first half and were reduced to 10 players when James was sent off for a stamp on Michelle Alozie in the 87th minute in a drama-fuelled last-16 tie.
Nigerian players were the better side throughout and were unlucky not to go ahead when they saw two efforts hit the crossbar.
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Chloe Kelly scored the decisive penalty to seal a 4-2 penalty shootout win.
England started the first half the brightest but Nigeria soon grew into the game and played the better football.
Defender Ashleigh Plumptre gave the Lionesses a scare when she rattled the crossbar with a sweet strike from the edge of the box and then forced a good save out of Mary Earps on the rebound.
Rachel Daly tumbled to the floor inside the penalty area after a soft touch from Rasheedat Ajibade which led to referee Melissa Borjas abruptly pointing to the spot, but after a lengthy VAR check, the decision was overturned.
And then moments later, Nigeria should have been ahead. Ajibade found space just outside the six-yard box but her first-time effort was blocked by Millie Bright.
Christy Ucheibe was quickest to respond to the rebound, but her strike was brilliantly denied by a last-ditch Jessica Carter block.
Nigeria started the second half as they ended the first – on top – and hit the bar again in another warning for England.
Both teams had chances in the second half, but the score remained goalless thanks to some excellent goalkeeping, especially from Nigeria shot-stopper Chiamaka Nnadozie.
Her best effort denied Rachel Daly’s powerful header from inside the six-yard box, showcasing her rapid reflexes to get low and stop the ball from crossing the line.
Then came a moment of madness from James as she stamped Alozie on the waist following a challenge which saw the pair fell to the pitch.
She was initially given a yellow card but Borjas was urged to check the pitch side monitor by VAR and subsequently upgraded the card to red.
Chances for either side were few and far between as the match entered extra-time, with both teams holding firm and avoiding any mistakes in the later stages.
The match had to be decided by a penalty shoot-out, but the wait for a goal went on as Georgia Stanway and Desire Oparanozie both missed the goal with penalties to the left.
Bethany England got the Lionesses off the mark when she stroked the ball into the top corner, and England were given a further boost when Alozie sent her effort over the bar.
Daly slammed her penalty home to seize control of the tie, but goals from Ajibade, Alex Greenwood and Ucheibe kept the contest alive.
That was until Kelly stepped up to the occasion once more, just as she did in the European Championship final last season, to deliver the decisive blow with the best spot-kick of the game.
Her fierce strike was unstoppable for Nnadozie as it nestled into the top corner and confirmed England’s spot in the last eight of the tournament, where they face Colombia or Jamaica next Saturday.
England escape major upset
Nigeria were without a doubt the better team on the day and looked as though they would be the first African team to win a knockout game at a Women’s World Cup, but tournament football can be cruel and Sarina Wiegman’s side did what they had to do to squeeze into the quarter-finals.
They weren’t helped by James’ crazy decision to stamp on Alozie following a tussle between the pair, but the Chelsea forward will learn from it and pending a FIFA review, may have the chance to redeem herself later in the tournament. She will either be suspended for one game or three games.
