England midfielder, Lauren James, will play no further part in the 2023 Women’s World Cup, following her red card against Nigeria.
With the scores still at 0-0, James was sent off for stamping on Michelle Alozie in the 70th minute.
The referee had initially brandished a yellow before she was advised to consult the VAR on-pitch monitor.
England played on with 10 players for the entirety of the extra time but went on to win 4-2 during the eventual penalty shoot-out.
The unnecessary stamp, however, means James has played her last game of the World Cup as dismissals for violent conduct come with a three-match suspension.
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FIFA rules state: “A player will be suspended for at least three matches for violent conduct; at least three matches or an appropriate period of time for assault, including elbowing, punching, kicking, biting, spitting or hitting an opponent or a person other than a match official.”
England has a maximum of three fixtures to play as they only qualified for the quarter-finals.
Lauren James was sent off in the 87th minute of the match for a reckless stamp on Nigeria’s Michelle Alozie. James was initially shown a yellow card for a rough challenge but after a VAR check, the referee changed the decision and sent her off.
After the game, Alozie confirmed that she is perfectly after James’ stamping and confirmed that she does not hold any grudges against the English star.
WHAT THEY SAID: Speaking to reporters, Alozie said, “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.
