Nigeria will not play in the quarter-final at the ongoing FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand following the Super Falcons’ loss to England via penalty shoot-out in the Round of 16 on Monday.
From the start of the fiercely contested encounter to the end, both teams showed that they were in for a long ride and ready to grab the win. However, one team must win and the other must be knocked out.
The first half of the keenly contested match ended in a barren draw as anticipated by most football enthusiasts. But the Lionesses had a very fantastic chance of going ahead in the 31st minute via the spot-kick.
Ahead of the said minute, Alex Greenwood fired a diagonal delivery in from a free-kick, and Rachel Daly hit the turf under a challenge from Rasheedat Ajibade. The referee showed a bit of hesitation before pointing to the penalty spot.
After the call, the Nigerian players protested against it as the VAR intervened and overturned the decision in the Super Falcons’ favor.
The VAR review ruled that Ajibade’s challenge on Daly was legal, hence, the first half ended with no goal from both sides.
In the second half, the intense battle became fiercer than the second half as both sides pushed for the winner while also being cautious going forward.
Just like in the group stage match between the tournament’s co-hosts in which Asisat Oshoala of the Super Falcons was introduced into the game in the second half and scored in Nigeria’s 3-2 win, Coach Randy Waldrum decided to introduce her into today’s game in the second half (58th minute). But her introduction didn’t change much as the Lionesses continued to look more promising in attack.
One of the best chances in the game fell to England in the 76th minute when an unmarked Daly powered a header at goal from Greenwood’s corner. However, goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie somehow got down to her right to paw away and keep the Super Falcons in the game.
In the 86th minute, England’s Lauren James was shown a red card after a VAR intervention. referee Melissa Borjas first showed her a yellow card which was the first booking of the game for stamping on Michelle Alozie.
England’s Lauren James is shown a red card by referee Melissa Borjas
Referee Borjas shows England’s Lauren James a red card. Photo Credit: Reuters.
Her exit from the game left already struggling England with ten women for the game which stretched into extra time after a goalless 90 minutes of football.
The first half of the extra-time saw Alozie missed a very big chance of putting the Super Falcons ahead when she missed-directed a long diagonal ball from Jennifer Echegini in the 98th minute.
The first half of the extra time ended in a goalless draw as the two sides entered into the second half of the extra time with intense tension. After two big chances from both sides and over 120 minutes of intense football, the game ended goalless.
Hence, the thrilling encounter was settled via penalties as ten-woman England knocked out the Super Falcons of Nigeria 4-2 at the end of the shootout.
