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England’s gamers rejoice their victory after a penalty shoot-out through the Australia and New Zealand 2023 Ladies’s World Cup spherical of 16 soccer match between England and Nigeria at Brisbane Stadium in Brisbane on August 7, 2023. (Picture by Patrick Hamilton / AFP)
The perfect groups discover a option to win when taking part in badly, so says the soccer cliche, however England will certainly be out of the Ladies’s World Cup if there’s a repeat of their show in opposition to Nigeria.
The European champions received away with one on Monday in Brisbane as they stumbled into the quarterfinals 4-2 on penalties.
Nigeria are ranked fortieth on the planet to England’s 4 however they hit the woodwork twice and have been clearly the higher facet, even earlier than Lauren James was despatched off within the 87th minute.
It was not like Sarina Wiegman’s gamers had not been warned.
Nigeria had defeated co-hosts Australia 3-2.
Brazil, Germany and Olympic champions Canada have been all dumped out within the group section as lower-ranked groups progressed.
Again-to-back defending champions the US have been then bundled out on penalties by Sweden within the final 16.
That left England as favorites to win the World Cup for the primary time however they appeared ponderous and devoid of concepts as they clung on for a 0-0 draw in opposition to Nigeria to power penalties.
Former England defender Anita Asante stated there could be some “laborious truths within the altering room”.
“England are very fortunate to have progressed to the quarter-finals,” she advised the BBC.
“They usually positively must step up their performances in the event that they need to get all the best way to a remaining.”
‘Misplaced her feelings’
England discover themselves three victories away from successful the World Cup however they’ve been a blended bag thus far in Australia and New Zealand.
They wanted a penalty to squeeze previous event debutants Haiti of their opening recreation, beat a restricted Denmark by the identical 1-0 scoreline after which blew away China 6-1.
The gifted Chelsea attacker James scored the one aim in opposition to Denmark after which virtually single-handedly demolished China with two objectives and three assists.
However her sending-off for a unnecessary stamp on Michelle Alozie will imply she misses a minimum of Saturday’s quarterfinal in opposition to Colombia or Jamaica. They play on Tuesday within the final 16.
James might be a serious miss, though Wiegman did have the comfort of key midfielder Keira Walsh coming back from a knee knock in opposition to Nigeria.
Wiegman refused accountable the 21-year-old James.
“I believe, in a split-second, she simply misplaced her feelings,” stated Wiegman, who took her native Netherlands to the World Cup remaining 4 years in the past, the place they misplaced 2-0 to the US.
“And naturally, she doesn’t need to harm anybody.”
‘England might be prepared’
Wiegman has earned wealthy reward in England since taking the hosts to European Championship glory final summer time, the nation’s first main title in girls’s soccer.
However she appeared missing in concepts in opposition to a Nigeria facet who appeared completely arrange by their American coach Randy Waldrum to nullify England’s 3-5-2 formation.
Maybe most damningly, England truly appeared way more snug as soon as James had been despatched off and Wiegman reverted to a tried-and-tested again 4, with out ever actually trying like scoring.
On the optimistic facet, England have now received the expertise of participating in — and successful — a penalty shootout at this World Cup.
“If you happen to’re going to go all the best way and win a World Cup, you may must win a shootout,” Arsenal supervisor Jonas Eidevall advised the BBC.
“Now, if this comes up within the competitors once more, England might be prepared for it.”
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