England secured their place in the quarter-finals of the Women’s World Cup with a penalty shootout win against Nigeria on Monday. However, it came at a cost, with Lauren James sent off in the closing stages of the original 90 minutes.
Handed the number seven shirt previously worn by Beth Mead at Euro 2022, James didn’t start England’s laboured opening game against Haiti last month.
The Chelsea star was then drafted in for the Denmark game next up, taking the place of Lauren Hemp on the left flank. Her early goal was the difference as the Lionesses secured a second 1-0 win.
But it was in the third and final group game against China when James properly caught fire. Sarina Wiegman adapted England’s usual 4-3-3 formation into 3-4-1-2, with James operating as a ‘number ten’ behind central forwards Alessia Russo and the aforemenionted Hemp. The 21-year-old scored two outstanding goals and assisted three others in the 6-1 win.
Despite the return of Keira Walsh from injury, Wiegman opted to keep things the same against Nigeria. But the Super Falcons were well prepared for England’s threats and marked James out of the game, much to her growing frustration as the contest progressed.
With things not going her way, a moment of madness from James during a coming together with Nigeria’s Michelle Alozie saw the England player eventually given her marching orders.
With both players on the floor, James got up first and appeared to deliberately step on Alozie’s back as she walked over her. At that point, Alozie turned incredulously to the referee, imploring the official to take action. Initially, James was shown just a yellow card.
But a VAR review was triggered and Melissa Borjas was advised to take a second look on the pitchside monitor. The Honduran referee then got to see what television audiences were seeing, which seemed to be intent on the part of James, even if with relatively little physical force.
LAUREN JAMES HAS BEEN SENT OFF FOR ENGLAND!#FIFAWWC #ENG #NGA #Lionesses pic.twitter.com/RVkRj33NEF
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) August 7, 2023
“It’s a huge lesson for her to learn,” said the England boss after the match.
“She would never want to hurt someone. She is the sweetest person I know. It was late in the game so players get a little tired. She is inexperienced on this stage and in a split-second, lost her emotions. It isn’t something she did on purpose. She apologised and felt really bad.”
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A red card in a World Cup match carries an automatic one-game suspension, but FIFA’s disciplinary panel has the power to increase that punishment depending on the incident.
If FIFA deem James’ actions to be a serious instance of foul play, the suspension could go from one match to three. Given the apparent deliberate intent involved, that certainly seems likely.
The disciplinary panel have already exercised power in that regard at this World Cup, banning Nigeria’s Deborah Abiodun for three games when she was sent off for a dangerous tackle in stoppage time of the team’s 0-0 draw against Canada in the group stage.
Regardless of whether the disciplinary panel get further involved, James will immediately miss England’s quarrter-final on Saturday 12 August against either Colombia or Jamaica.
Should the suspension be increased up to three games, James would miss the remainder of the World Cup if England go further as it would then also cover the semi-finals and either the third/fourth place playoff or the final.
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