Nigeria’s Super Falcons have crashed out of the 2023 FIFA women’s World Cup after losing to 10-player England on Penalty shootout, TGB reports.
After a thrilling 120 minutes of football which ended goalless, the Three Lionesses triumphed 4-2 to reach the last eight.
England have now won against the Falcons in their two meetings at the World Cup (their first win came at the 1995 edition in Sweden).
The European champions were reduced to 10 players on 87 minutes after star player Lauren James was sent off for stamping on Michelle Alozie.
In the 31st minute England thought he had won a penalty but after VAR review it was overturned.
Ashleigh Plumptre saw her effort hit the woodwork in the first half while Christy Ucheibe also hit the bar off a header.
With less than 20 minutes left Chiamaka Nnadozie made a brilliant save to deny Rachel Daly from giving England the lead.
After 90 minutes the game went to extra time and had to be decided by penalties after another goalless in the extra 30 minutes.
England got off to a poor start in the shootout after Georgia Stanway missed but substitute Desire Oparanozie also failed to scores Nigeria’s first attempt.
While Alozie missed again for the Falcons, England converted their remaining four kicks to win the game.
England will now meet the winner between Colombia and Jamaica in the quarter-finals while the Super Falcons now prepare to go back home and focus on the Africa Women’s Cup of Nations qualifiers.
