After the forcefulness of Japan (3-1 against Norway), the Netherlands (2-0 against South Africa) and Spain (5-1 against Switzerland), came two results that were decided with 120 minutes of play and a dozen penalties. First, a Sweden-United States that decided on VAR, when he pointed out that Hurtig’s ball in the last penalty gave the Swedish a pass and eliminated the four-time world champion, who had never gotten off the podium. Another of the favourites, the recent Eurocup champion, Englandhe also had to wait until the shots from eleven meters to sign a pass with a lot of trouble against Nigeria.
The revolution of the modest in this World Cup in Australia and New Zealand begins to have its end in the knockout rounds, but with great efforts by the, a priori, soccer superpowers. Because Nigeria, zero titles and much less economic and social support, gave more than face to the English.
They were the ones with the pressure and the opportunities, the ones with the attacks for strength and speed and the ones with the shots to the post. England was waiting, better combinations and some arrival, but little resolution and, little by little, less energy in the fuel tank.
In the first part, Plimpte He threw the ball to the crossbar to the annoyance of the English fans, who saw that theirs were not quite comfortable with the constancy of the green shirts. A penalty that was annulled due to the VAR call could change the course of the game, but the referee considered after seeing the images that the push from Ajibada in Daly it was not enough for the maximum penalty.
In the second half, Kanu hit the crossbar and Payne also came close with a header. The marker was still not moving, but not Nigeria, who went on and on hitting the Earps goal while the English tried to catch their breath when they had the ball. Daly y Russo they had two good chances, one of them in the launch of a free kick, but they lacked accuracy with the shots.
And they had to give an extra of what they almost did not have when a mistimed stomp from Lauren James to Michelle Alozie with the ball set pieces took her directly to the dugout. Ten minutes ahead with the pressure and the ball in possession of Nigeria and James’s hole, it is not yet known if it will be just one game or something else, according to the images.
Even so, the Euro 2022 champion endured all the attacks until the 90th minute and until the 120th of extra time. And in the penalty shootout, the nerves. Stanway failed first, but the errors of the Nigerians Oparanozie and Alozie followed, and from there England, Daly, Greenwood and Kelly sentenced. Relief for the European champions.
2023-08-07 11:52:57
#England #suffers #Nigeria #quarterfinals #penalties
