Wiegman says Lauren James will learn lesson from red card
Lauren James was sent off in the dying minutes of England’s game against Nigeria after stamping on Michelle Alozie. She will miss the quarter final against Australia.
Tempers can easily flare in football - especially when there is a place in the quarter final of a World Cup at stake. Lauren James took a vital lesson away from today’s Round of 16 tie against Nigeria. Just four minutes were left on the clock and the scoreboard locked at 0-0 when for some reason, the England forward suddenly snapped. She was involved in a move that had left her and Michelle Alozie floored but as she got up, she made no attempt to step over the Nigerian player, and in a moment of madness, was seen to stamp her studs into her opponent’s side.
James was immediately shown a yellow card but after a VAR review, match official Melissa Borjas decided to issue a straight red. It means that England will go into Saturday’s quarter final against hosts Australia without their top scorer. Apart from the 1-6 win over China, the Lionesses have struggled to find the net with much regularity during the tournament and James has scored three of the team’s eight goals so far.
Tiredness and frustration
England women’s team coach Sarina Wiegman didn’t want to place too much attention on James’ red card when she spoke to the media after the game, and explained that the team will have to deal without her on Saturday. “She’s young. This is just a split second and she doesn’t want to harm anyone. It’s later on in the game, so you get a little bit tired too. It’s such an intense and emotional game that in a split second where you just don’t control your emotions, then things happen. Of course, she didn’t want to do that, but before she’d even realized it had happened. Very unfortunate. She will absolutely learn from it,” she told reporters.
Many drew comparisons with David Beckham’s sending off for England at France 1998. Beckham lashed out at Simeone, who was quick to make a meal of it - even though, judging from the replay, contact seemed minimal. The difference on that occasion was that England were left to play the entire second half with 10 men and ended up being eliminated in the shootout.