England star Lauren James sent off for stomping on Nigeria’s Michelle Alozie

Martin Rogers

FOX Sports Insider

England midfield star Lauren James was dramatically sent off during her team’s nail-biting round of 16 clash with Nigeria in Brisbane.

James, one of the brightest stars of the World Cup so far, initially earned herself a caution for stomping on the back of opponent Michelle Alozie following a tough collision between in the pair towards the end of regulation time.

However, after further review, referee Melissa Paola Borjas Pastrana upgraded it from a yellow card to a red, leaving England in serious trouble as the game headed to extra-time.

England’s Lauren James receives a RED CARD for stepping on a Nigerian player | 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup

After a dominant showing in the group stage, James was seen as one of the primary reasons why England had moved into a position of overall favoritism in the tournament, according to the oddsmakers.

Her premature exit, in what can only be described as a drastic loss of control, gave Nigeria hope of becoming the first African team to win a knockout game at a Women’s World Cup, in what would be a huge upset.

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