England through to FIFA Women’s World Cup quarters after beating Nigeria in penalty shootout

BRISBANE, Aug 7 – England dumped Nigeria out of the FIFA Women’s World Cup in a last-16 penalty shootout on Monday with Chloe Kelly scoring the decisive spot-kick, following a 0-0 draw over 120 nerve-jangling minutes.

Beth England, Rachel Daly and Alex Greenwood additionally transformed in a 4-2 shootout win for the European champions, who had a participant despatched off in regulation time.

“It’s amazing. Anything that’s thrown at this team, we show what we’re capable of,” Kelly advised the BBC. “We dig deep as a group and we believe in our ability.”

England performed with 10 ladies by way of further time after ahead Lauren James, their high scorer with three objectives within the group stage, was despatched off within the 87th minute for an ill-tempered stamp on the again of Michelle Alonzi after the 2 went down in a tangled heap.

“This team is special, we did it in the Euros, we did it in the Finalissima (a shootout win against Brazil), and we’re here again tonight and doing it. And we keep pushing forward. There’s more to come from this special team,” added Kelly, who scored the winner within the Euro 2022 closing in opposition to Germany.

On her strategy to the decisive penalty, she stated: “It’s ‘I’m going to score’. That’s how I look at it. Once I win that mental battle, we’re good.”

Fourth-ranked England face both Jamaica or Colombia within the quarter-finals in Sydney on Saturday. James will obtain at the least a one-game suspension.

England keeper Mary Earps, named participant of the match, stated the Finalissima shootout in April was a terrific warmup.

“I don’t even practice a shootout to be honest,” Earps stated. “It’s a very special moment, a very special pressure-cooker.”

Nigeria pressured Earps to work early and the England keeper stood tall with a few nice saves in entrance of 49,461 followers at Lang Park.

Ashleigh Plumptre launched a rocket from 25 yards out that rang off the underside of the crossbar, then moments later pressured Earps to make a diving save with a shot from the centre of the field.

England had been awarded a penalty when Daly was pushed from behind within the field by Rasheedat Ajibade, but it surely was overturned after a VAR overview.

The Lionesses didn’t have a shot on course till the 77th minute when Daly had a terrific probability with a header off Greenwood’s nook that pressured goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie to get down rapidly and save.

England sat again in their very own half for many of additional time, and substitute Asisat Oshoala fired a close-range shot minutes earlier than the ultimate whistle that Earps dove to scoop up.

England, making their sixth World Cup look, are hoping to high their greatest end of third in 2015. They had been fourth 4 years in the past in France.

The Fortieth-ranked Golden Falcons bow out of their ninth World Cup within the final 16 for the second consecutive time.

—Reuters