England qualified in the snatch on Monday in the quarter-finals of the World Cup-2023 after 120 minutes and the penalty shootout (0-0 ap, 4-2 tab). The European champions however suffered throughout the match against the Super Falcons.
Published on: 08/07/2023 – 12:21
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Nigeria was one of the surprise teams of this World Cup-2023. The team made England tremble until the end but finally had to bow at the end of the suspense during the penalty shootout (0-0 after, 4-2 on pens). The Super Falcons have however long dominated the debates without finding the fault.
The Super Falcons, for the third knockout stage of their history, presented themselves without complexes. Faced with the reigning European champions, they are the ones who take the game on their own, putting pressure on the Lionesses. The Africans are particularly dangerous on a corner (12th, 15). Each time, the defense pushes back.
Plumptre’s heavy strike on the crossbar sounds like a warning for the Lionesses: there is fire in the box. They struggled to free themselves and a second cannonball was blocked by Earps (17′).
A penalty denied to England
But England have resources: they let the storm pass, put their foot on the ball and bide their time. Russo takes advantage of a monumental error by Demehin to present himself against Chiamaka Nnadozie. The Paris FC goalkeeper keeps hers afloat (23rd). It is still her who intervenes on the volley of Rachel Daly (28th).
Read alsoNigerian Chiamaka Nnadozie, brilliant last bastion of the Super Falcons
The match almost changed at the half-hour mark. Greenwood rolled up a harmless free kick in front of the Nigerian goal. Daly is in a duel with Ajibade and dives into the box. Referee Melissa Borjas first whistles a penalty before checking the VAR: the Honduran reverses her decision judging that the Englishwoman dived (34th).
Reassured, Nigeria is back on the attack. A double strike brings the danger back to the European champions: the first from Ucheibe is repelled by Bright and the second, from Ajibade, misses, countered for a corner (36th). Nigeria hit the crossbar a second time after returning from the locker room thanks to a header from Demehin (47th). The Nigerians take advantage of their speed on the sides to undermine the English block. Plumptre, Ajibade, Kanu, Alozie shine in turn.
English red card
The rhythm got bogged down after the hour mark. England had the monopoly of the ball but failed to create danger or frame a shot. When suddenly, Daly wakes up his family: on a well-taken corner from Greenwood, the Aston Villa player rises to 6 meters to adjust a powerful header recovery. Nnadozie wins with a reflex parade, then captures in a second time a discount from Russo, when the ball falls at the far post (76th).
England complicates the task in the last moments. Lauren James, frustrated at not getting fouls, steps on Alozie. At the sight of the unsportsmanlike gesture, the referee gives him a yellow, re-evaluated in red on viewing the images. The Lionesses will therefore have to fight 10 against 11 (86th). A real blow as the 23-year-old had been involved in 6 of the 8 goals scored since the start of the 2023 World Cup, finding the net 3 times and delivering as many assists. Chloé Kelly returns to the field to rebalance the team for extra time.
The match turns into a physical duel, each of the two teams trying to intimidate their opponent. The only chances of the first period are to the credit of the Super Falcons: Alozie is completely alone in the area on receiving a deflection. She opens her foot too much to frame her shot (102nd). Osholoa tries an acrobatic return but commits a fault by hitting Hemp (103rd). Nigeria lays siege to the English defence, which resists somehow while waiting for penalties.
In the exercise, England is ruthless. Nigerian World Cup hero Chiamaka Nnadozie can do nothing to prevent the Lionesses from advancing to the quarter-finals, keeping their dream of a Euro-World Cup double alive.
As for the Nigerian players, they return disappointed when they hoped to become the first African nation to win a knockout match in a women’s world. It may be for Morocco, who face France on Tuesday.
