Nigeria’s journey in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, comes to an end as England knocked them out of the tournament in the round of 16.
During the match, there were some close chances for both teams. England’s players, Beth Mead and Lauren James, almost scored in the first half, and Nigeria’s Rasheedat Ajibade had a good opportunity in the second half. However, an amazing save by England’s goalkeeper, Mary Earps, prevented Nigeria from scoring.
The most critical moment came in the 87th minute when England’s Lauren James made a bad decision. She pushed a Nigerian player who was already on the ground and then stamped on her back as she walked away.
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The referee, Melissa Borjas from Honduras, quickly used the video assistant referee and showed James a red card, which meant England had to play with only ten players for the remaining time, including extra time.
Despite this setback, the game went to a penalty shootout. England showed great teamwork and determination and won the shootout dramatically against Nigeria. They scored their penalties perfectly, and Mary Earps made crucial saves, securing the victory for England.
Now, England moves on to the quarterfinals of the tournament. However, the absence of Lauren James, due to her red card, could have a big impact on the team’s chances in the next matches, especially considering they already had some injured players.
