England is thru to the quarterfinals of the World Cup and that will likely be all that issues for now. 4 of its penalty kicks went in and two of Nigeria’s didn’t, and on an evening when not a lot went in response to plan, that was sufficient. The opposite questions — vital questions — can look forward to a day.
After a short gasp when Georgia Stanway opened the penalty kick shootout by lacking the primary try, England’s victory was delivered in brief order: Beth England, Rachel Daly, Alex Greenwood and Chloe Kelly hammered dwelling their efforts in fast succession and Nigeria, which missed two of its 4, was overwhelmed.
The questions, although, will observe Sarina Wiegman’s England into the quarterfinals later this week. Prime amongst them: What, precisely, was Lauren James pondering?
James, 21, had been a revelation for England at her first World Cup, scoring three targets in 4 video games — one in opposition to Denmark after which two in opposition to China — as her workforce constructed momentum and expectations within the group stage.
However within the 87th minute in opposition to Nigeria, she threw her event into jeopardy with a shocking lack of composure: Fouled close to the sideline, James responded with a shove to the again of her fallen opponent, Michelle Alozie, after which, inexplicably, a stamp on Alozie’s again as she jogged away.
The motion was flagged for the Honduran referee, Melissa Borjas, by the video assistant referee. Borjas jogged over to see a replay on the sideline monitor and returned to provide a crimson card. James was off, and England was all the way down to 10 gamers simply as the sport went to further time.
When may she be again? That’s unclear. The crimson card would imply a one-game suspension. However because it was for violent conduct, FIFA will overview the incident and will select to increase her ban.
On a workforce already weakened by accidents, her ejection might be a game-changer, particularly after one other precious midfielder, Keira Walsh, was subbed off after 120 minutes when she appeared to maintain an damage.
Her presence on the sector at that second had drawn questions by itself: Walsh had injured a knee early within the group stage, so severely that it was initially feared she would miss the remainder of the event. However she solely missed one sport, in opposition to China, after which returned to the beginning lineup on Monday.
Now she is limping once more, and her health — similar to James’s suspension — will grasp over England because it prepares for a quarterfinal in opposition to the Colombia-Jamaica winner on Saturday.
However that, and the opposite questions, can wait. For now England is alive, and that’s all that issues.