Lauren James has had her ban extended to two games following her red card for a stamp against Nigeria.
James had been one of the breakout stars of the tournament and a key part of Sarina Weigman’s team until a moment of madness led to her being sent off in the last-16 clash.
The 21-year-old trod on Michelle Alozie’s back when the Nigeria player was lying on the ground after a challenge in the 87th minute of Monday’s game – that England scraped through on penalties.
After consulting the VAR, James was shown a red card having originally been given yellow. Typically red card offences would lead to a one-game ban, but FIFA have the capacity to extend the suspension if they see fit.
And the governing body’s disciplinary committee exercised that right, judging the violent conduct worthy of an additional game.
Lauren James was sent off for stamping on Nigeria’s Michelle Alozie in the quarter-final
Her one game ban has been extended and she will miss the rest of the World Cup
James, who turned comments off on her Instagram profile after the incident, had been in sensational form for the Lionesses.
After three games she had been involved in the most goals of any player at a World Cup – and she did not even start the first match.
Her two goals and three assists in the 6-1 rout of China saw her become the first England player, male or female, to be involved in five goals in a game at a World Cup.
And the praise came flooding in, with her Chelsea manager Emma Hayes saying: ‘We are witnessing brilliance.’
Her dad compared her to Lionel Messi and Diego Maradona, but the winger’s excellence will no longer light up the tournament after her rush of blood to the head.
Fortunately, her team-mates dug in to reach penalties against Nigeria before securing a 4-2 triumph.
After the game, Weigman said: ‘I’ve spoken to her. I actually said [to her], “look, that happens sometimes with human beings,” that they are in such an intense game and such a high-intensity, emotional game, and in a split second she lost her emotions.
‘Of course she apologised and she felt really, really bad. Absolutely she doesn’t want to hurt anyone.
James had been one of England’s stars of the tournament but a moment of madness cost her
Sarina Wiegman admitted that James has a ‘huge lesson to learn’ after the mistake
‘This was a moment, it was a split second, it was later in the game, so players also get a little tired, she’s an inexperienced player on this stage and she’s done really well.
‘I think in a split second she just lost her emotions. Of course she doesn’t want to hurt anyone, she’s the sweetest person I know.
‘Things happen like that, you can’t change it any more, it’s a huge lesson to learn but of course it’s not something she’s done on purpose.’
And the victim of the stamp, Alozie, wrote on Twitter: ‘Abeg, rest. We are playing on the world’s stage.
‘This game is one of passion, insurmountable emotions, and moments. All respect for Lauren James.’
It is a brutal lesson learned for James, who follows in the footsteps of David Beckham, who was infamously sent off for a petulant kick-out against Argentina in the 1998 World Cup, and Wayne Rooney, who saw red for a stamp on Cristiano Ronaldo in 2006.
Many have compared James’ moment of madness to Beckham’s at the 1998 World Cup
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