Outplayed, outclassed but somehow, somehow, not out. Lauren James’s sending-off in the 85th minute for a stamp on Michelle Alozie was symptomatic of a frustrated England, who scraped past a tactically superior and better organised Nigeria on penalties to progress to the World Cup quarter-finals.
Randy Waldrum’s side, ranked 40th in the world, 36 places below their opponents, looked as if they would claim the latest big scalp and knock the European champions out of the World Cup after the eliminations of Brazil, Canada, Germany and the USA. However, after Georgia Stanway’s missed penalty in the shootout, England scored four as Nigeria floundered, missing their first two spot-kicks to allow the substitute Chloe Kelly to fire in the winner again.
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