Outplayed, outclassed but somehow, somehow, not out. Lauren James’s sending‑off in the 85th minute for stepping on Michelle Alozie as her opponent lay on the ground was symptomatic of a frustrated England, who scraped past a tactically superior Nigeria on penalties to progress to the World Cup quarter-finals.
Nigeria – ranked 40th in the world, 36 places below England – looked like they would claim the latest big scalp and knock out the European champions after the eliminations of Brazil, Canada, Germany and USA. But 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 thunder in the winner.
