Key occasions
39 min Greenwood’s nook is punched away to the sting of the realm, the place James cushions a left-footed volley excessive over the bar.
38 min Hemp beats Demehin for tempo on the proper and strikes into the realm, however Demehin makes an excellent restoration problem. This is pulsating stuff.
37 min The nook is headed broad beneath stress by Plumpte. A half probability.
36 min: Chance for Nigeria! Onumonu someway threads a cutback in the direction of Ajibade on the close to submit. She turns Carter superbly and hammers a shot that’s fantastically blocked by Bright. It rebounds to the onrushing Ucheibe, and Carter makes a good higher – and braver – block to deflect the ball behind for a nook.
35 min I’m undecided about that. Ajibade leaned into Daly and pushed her over. You can argue it wasn’t a foul, but it surely definitely wasn’t a transparent and apparent error. The solely clarification I can consider is that the referee gave the penalty for the tried shirt pull outdoors the realm, which would have been a transparent and apparent error.
NO PENALTY!
Hmm.
Ah, I believe I do know what occurred. Ajibade tried to drag Daly’s shirt outdoors the field, then leaned on her contained in the field. I assumed the foul was given for the latter, but when it was for the tried shirt pull, it will likely be overturned.
VAR verify The referee’s going to the monitor! My phrase, I didn’t anticipate that.
It’s a softish penalty however I’ll be very shocked if it’s overturned. Ajibade leaned into Daly together with her arm, and Daly accepted the invitation.
PENALTY TO ENGLAND! Greenwood swings within the free-kick, Daly goes down and the referee factors to the spot. Nigeria aren’t completely satisfied.
31 min James, who’s beginning to come into the sport, attracts a foul from her marker Ayinde. From which…
29 min The BBC lag (see 18 min) is exceedingly irritating.
28 min: Chance for Daly! Greenwood’s near-post nook from the proper ricochets to Daly, who cracks a right-footed volley straight at Nnadozie from 10 yards. It got here at a clumsy peak, so she did fairly properly to get it on track.
27 min Carter crosses deep in the direction of James, whose audacious hooked volley hits her shadow Ayinde and flies over the bar.
25 min Zelem and Stanway labored very well collectively in opposition to China. Stanway is barely additional ahead at the moment, to permit Walsh to dictate play; whether or not that’s a think about England’s poor efficiency up to now, who is aware of. The formation is roughly 3-3-2-2 when England have the ball, 3-4-1-2 once they don’t.
23 min: Good save from Nnadozie! Demehin shanks an tried clearance straight to Russo, who drills it first-time in the direction of purpose from 20 yards. Nnadozie, a good manner off line and eminently chippable, dives to her left to make a great save.
23 min Bright fires a go into James, who’s bullied off the ball by Ayinde. She’s successful that contest fingers down, to this point.
22 min England haven’t bought going in any respect. On the touchline, Sarina Wiegman seems to be lower than grunted.
20 min I’m nonetheless reeling from that shot by Plumpte, a candy-spotted half-volley that hit the bar even earlier than it had left her foot!
18 min In an exceptionally annoying growth, the BBC commentary within the UK is a few second forward of the photographs, so we knew Plumpte had hit the bar even earlier than she’d kicked the ball.
Commentary barely forward of the play once more on BBC, so Robyn is sounding like a clairvoyant
— Tim Stillman (@Stillmanator) August 7, 2023
16 min: Plumpte hits the bar! At the second Nigeria are bossing the sport. Greenwood makes two important defensive headers, the second of which bounces in the direction of the onrushing lumpte, 25 yards out. She screams a spectacular left-footed shot that crashes off the underside of the bar! Then, moments later, Plumpte reverses a right-footed shot that’s dramatically saved to her proper by the diving Earps. What a second that may have been for Ashleigh Plumpte, who performed a lot youth internationals for England.
15 min Halimatu Ayinde is marking Lauren James, and to this point has saved her very quiet. This is one thing James should get used to over the subsequent few years.
13 min Payne’s outswinging nook is met by Alozie, whose thumping header from 12 yards is nodded away by Russo iun the six-yard field. That might need been happening.
12 min Ajibade drives an excellent crossfield go to seek out Kanu on the proper. Her cross is blocked by Greenwood and goes behind for an additional nook.
10 min Payne drives a excessive, hanging nook that’s headed down into the six-yard field and booted clear by Carter. This is an effective spell for Nigeria.
9 min Another cross from Ajibade is punched behind by Earps. It was going broad anyway however she took no possibilities.
7 min Nigeria’s first assault is a promising one. Payne teases Bronze with a collection of stepovers and finds Ajibade, whose cross is headed away by – do I even must let you know this – Millie Bright.
5 min The nook involves nothing. But England will probably be more than happy with their begin; the primary 5 minutes have taken place nearly completely within the Nigeria half.
4 min A robust begin from England, who win the primary nook on the proper. Greenwood will take it…
2 min “Brilliant opener in that tweet from the Nigerian team,” says Charles Antaki. “If the England players are coming in singing Swing Low Sweet Chariot, please don’t let the FA show it.”
1 min Peep peep! Lauren James will get the sport beneath manner, with England kicking from left to proper as we watch.
As the nationwide anthems start, right here’s a reminder of the groups.
England (potential 3-4-1-2) Earps; Carter, Bright, Greenwood; Bronze, Stanway, Walsh, Daly; James; Russo, Hemp.
Substitutes: Charles, Toone, Nobbs, Hampton, Wubben-Moy, Morgan, Coombs, Kelly, England, Zelem, Roebuck, Robinson.
Nigeria (potential 4-2-3-1) Nnadozie; Alozie, Ohale, Demehin, Plumptre; Ucheibe, Ayinde; Kanu, Payne, Ajibade; Onumonu.
Substitutes: Oluehi, Balogun, Ogbonna, Ebi, Oshoala, Oparanozie, Monday, Ordega, Echegini, Imuran, Okoronkwo, Abiodun.
Referee Melissa Borjas (Honduras).
Tonight’s winners will play Colombia or Jamaica in Sydney on Saturday, kick off 11.30am BST/WAT.
Video: A reminder of Lauren James’ outrageous performance against China (UK solely)
Video: Nigeria arrive in style (UK solely)
“Am up early to jinx this one,” writes Ian Copestake, “but have a good feeling in my water. I also need to see a doctor about that.”
After an understandably rusty efficiency in opposition to Haiti, the England captain Millie Bright has been more and more majestic. She spoke to Suzanne Wrack.
In the win over China, Lauren James was a pedantic offside resolution away from a hat-trick of assists and objectives. Suzanne Wrack profiles a uncommon expertise.
Anita Asante on the tactical battle
“Afternoon Rob,” writes Phil Withall. “I’m just heading to the stadium now. It’s a bit damp in Brisbane but there a lot of people heading to Brisbane Stadium. A fair smattering of Nigerian supporters. It should be a fine atmosphere.”
The Nigeria keeper Chiamaka Nnadozie, enjoying her second World Cup on the age of twenty-two, has been one of many stars of the event to this point. If Nigeria are to trigger an upset at the moment, she might properly need to do a Musovic.
Nigeria’s group consists of Ashleigh Plumptre, a former England youth worldwide. Sarah Rendell tells her story.
Nigeria group information: Oshoala on the bench
Blimey, Asisat Oshaola isn’t within the Nigeria beginning XI. That can solely be as a result of thigh harm that has dogged her throughout the event. But as we noticed in opposition to Australia, she will be able to have a matchwinning impression from the bench. Nigeria’s plan will probably be to remain within the recreation for an hour or so after which convey her on.
Ifeoma Onumonu replaces Oshoala in the one change from the 0-0 draw with the Republic of Ireland.
Nigeria (potential 4-2-3-1) Nnadozie; Alozie, Ohale, Demehin, Plumptre; Ucheibe, Ayinde; Kanu, Payne, Ajibade; Onumonu.
Substitutes: Oluehi, Balogun, Ogbonna, Ebi, Oshoala, Oparanozie, Monday, Ordega, Echegini, Imuran, Okoronkwo, Abiodun.
England group information: Walsh begins
As anticipated, the fit-again Keira Walsh replaces Katie Zelem in midfield. That’s the one change from the win over China, which recommend Sarina Wiegman will stick to the brand new 3-4-1-2 system. You would, wouldn’t you, after that efficiency.
England (potential 3-4-1-2) Earps; Carter, Bright, Greenwood; Bronze, Stanway, Walsh, Daly; James; Russo, Hemp.
Substitutes: Charles, Toone, Nobbs, Hampton, Wubben-Moy, Morgan, Coombs, Kelly, England, Zelem, Roebuck, Robinson.
When Keira Walsh was stretchered off in opposition to Denmark, everybody feared she was the newest England star to endure an ACL harm. Ten days later, she is offered for choice.
Preamble
Hello, good day and welcome to live protection of England v Nigeria in Brisbane. I don’t know easy methods to let you know this, however England are in real hazard of successful the World Cup. The USA, Germany and Norway – who between them have gained seven of the eight Women’s World Cups – have all boarded flight DO1, whereas Spain misplaced a few of their lustre once they had been hammered 4-0 by Japan. There are nonetheless some very wonderful groups left within the competitors, however England are formally the favourites.
Few would have predicted this after an injury-hit aspect laboured to 1-0 wins over Haiti and Denmark. Then Sarina Wiegman, who barely modified a factor throughout England’s triumphant Euro 2022, reacted to Keira Walsh’s harm by switching to 3-4-1-2 and making three modifications. The end result was a spectacular 6-1 victory over China.
Lauren James stole the present with a rare particular person efficiency, although there have been so many different plusses. Lucy Bronze and Rachel Daly are pure wing-backs, Lauren Hemp was a revelation up entrance alongside Alessia Russo and Katie Zelem was nearly flawless in midfield. Zelem could also be changed by Walsh, who has recovered from her knee harm and skilled yesterday, however there are unlikely to be another modifications.
Nigeria are an bettering aspect, who’ve already crushed the hosts Australia and eradicated the Olympic champions Canada. They have a lot of wonderful gamers and one famous person within the Barcelona ahead Asisat Oshoala. England’s different opponent at the moment is unconscious complacency. There has been a number of discuss – in all probability an excessive amount of, and let’s be trustworthy this preamble isn’t serving to – a few beneficial path to the semi-finals.
The goal reality is that, all issues being equal, England will win at the moment after which beat Colombia or Jamaica within the quarter-finals. But the fact is that, on this implausible, epohcal World Cup, hardly something has been equal.
Kick off 8.30am in London and Abuja, 5.30pm in Brisbane.
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