‘European champion’ England defeated Nigeria after a penalty shootout in a numerical inferiority and advanced to the quarterfinals of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
In the round of 16 match against Nigeria at the Brisbane Stadium in Australia on the 7th, England went 0-0 for 120 minutes until extra time and won 4-2 in a penalty shootout to advance to the quarterfinals.
England, ranked 4th in the FIFA rankings, was in danger as a player was sent off at the end of the first half of regular time, but won a valuable victory after enduring 30 minutes of overtime with solid defense worthy of a championship candidate.
England is the European champion who won the 2022 Women’s Euro (European Football Championship) held in their country.
England, who reached the semifinals in Canada in 2015 and France in 2019, will challenge to win the World Cup for the first time in this competition.
England will compete against the winner of the Colombia-Jamaica game at 7:30 pm on the 12th to advance to the semi-finals.
Nigeria, ranked 40th, again failed to win the first round of the tournament.스포츠토토
Nigeria had previously reached the tournament twice, in the US in 1999 and in France in 2019, both of which were eliminated in the first round.
In the 42nd minute of the second half, English midfielder Lauren James was sent off for an unsportsmanlike foul, which seemed to be an inflection point in the tense game.
After getting tangled up with Nigerian defender Michelle Allogier, James stepped on Allogier’s butt as he got up.
At first, the referee took out a yellow card, but after a video review (VAR) on-field review, he changed it to a red card.
Nigeria went into overtime with a numerical advantage, but the pendulum did not tip the pendulum easily.
England’s tenacious defense prevented Nigeria from attacking, and the game eventually went to a penalty shoot-out.
For Nigeria, it was regrettable that Asisat Oshoala’s turning shot from the front of the goal area in the 12th minute of the second half of extra time went straight to the goalkeeper and did not lead to a goal.
In the penalty shoot-out, all England players except Georgia Stanway, who took the first kick, made a shot.
On the other hand, Nigeria’s first kicker Ebi Onome and second kicker Alogie missed one after another.