The Three Lionesses’ star, Lauren James, was sent off in the 87th minute after stamping on Nigeria’s Michelle Alozie during the round of 16 match yesterday at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
The Nigerian fullback was so dominant in the duo’s contest that James’s only highlight of the match was a sending-off.
However, after the match, Alozie told reporters that she was surprised by James’ reaction to her tackle.
“I was a little bit surprised by her reaction to the tackle. I don’t think it was really needed,” she said.
“I’m fine; my butt is fine from her stepping on it! I was kind of confused initially. I didn’t understand what was going on at first. There’s no hard feelings; it’s just a game.”
She added, “It was good for us. James is a really good player. And nullifying her was really big for us. We didn’t want her to move freely and get those shots off that she usually does. It was good for us to have her taken out of the game.
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Nigeria went toe-to-toe with England but ultimately lost 4-2 on penalties after a 0-0 draw during normal play.
James, who has now turned off her comment section on Instagram to avoid abuse from angry fans, will miss England’s quarterfinal match against Colombia.
