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Englands Lauren James stepping on Nigerias Michelle Alozie
Englands Lauren James will miss the quarter-final and a potential semi-final of the World Cup after being banned for two matches by FIFA.
James was sent off after she stood on the back of Nigerias Michelle Alozie in Englands last-16 victory.
The 21-year-olds initial yellow card was upgraded to a red card after a review by VAR, with James the first Lioness to be sent off under Sarina Wiegman.
FIFA rules state that players are automatically banned for one game “ meaning James misses Englands quarter-final against Colombia on Saturday.
She will also now miss the semi-final, should England get there, after FIFA extended the suspension.
James apologised on social media after Alozie herself had responded to the incident, saying she had ˜all respect for Lauren James.
The Chelsea forward replied: All my love and respect to you. I am sorry for what happened. Also, for our England fans and my teammates, playing with and for you is my greatest honour and I promise to learn from my experience.
The dismissal had echoes of David Beckhams and Wayne Rooneys red cards from the 1998 and 2006 World Cups respectively “ Englands standout young star and player of the tournament so far stopped in their tracks by a moment of madness.
But England boss Wiegman says despite emotions getting the better of the 21-year-old, James never intended for the incident to happen.
It was a moment of a split-second and it was later in the game so players also get a little tired. She is an inexperienced player on this stage and has done really well, she said after the game on Monday.
And I think, in a split-second, she just lost her emotions. And, of course, she does not want to hurt anyone. She is the sweetest person I know.
Yet then things happen like that and you cannot change it any more. So it is a huge lesson for her to learn, but it is not something that she really did on purpose.
It happens sometimes with human beings “ that you are in such an intense game, such an emotional game and, in a split-second, she lost her emotions.
She apologised and she felt really, really bad and absolutely she does not want to hurt anyone, he said. (Daily Trust)
