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By Abiodun Adewale
Michelle Alozie has called for Lauren James to be shown ‘respect’ after the England forward was sent off for stepping on her back during Monday’s World Cup clash.
James faces the prospect of a tournament-ending three-match ban for her sending off in the closing stages of normal time in Monday’s last-16 tie, which ended with England beating Nigeria on penalties.
Alozie tweeted she understood why James acted as she did in the pressure environment of a World Cup knockout game.
“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,” she wrote.
The 21-year-old James also apologised to the Nigerian on Tuesday, while replying to Alozie’s tweet.
James stated, “All my love and respect to you (Alozie). I am sorry for what happened. Also, for our England fans and my team-mates, playing with and for you is my greatest honour and I promise to learn from my experience.”
Alozie, 26, went on to miss her spot-kick in the shootout, but she was still in good humour on Tuesday, hilariously posting the picture of her being stamped on by James with the caption “life.”
She added in another tweet, “Still a red though.”
She also called for James to be shown ‘respect’ following her moment of madness.
Speaking after England won the penalty shoot-out 4-2, having clung on through extra time with 10 players, Alozie said there were “no hard feelings.”
“It was good for us. James is a really good player and nullifying her was really big for us,” she said.
“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.
“I was a little bit surprised by her reaction to the tackle. I don’t think it was really needed.
“I’m fine, my butt is fine from her stepping on it! I was kind of confused initially.
“I didn’t understand what was going on at first. There’s no hard feelings, it’s just a game.”
England will play either Colombia or Jamaica in the quarter-finals and James will be suspended for that match at least as FIFA’s disciplinary committee meet to decide whether to extend the ban to three matches.
That would see her miss the rest of the tournament if the Lionesses reach their first-ever final.
James restricted comments on her Instagram account to avoid a backlash in the aftermath of the sending off, with teammate Lucy Bronze revealing she went straight into the dressing room to console her after the shoot-out win.
Bronze said, “Obviously she’s going to be disappointed in herself. I went straight off the pitch after the game to make sure she was OK.
“Obviously she was a little bit upset and rightfully so and more than anything she just feels bad for the team. I said to her, ‘We’ve made it through. It’s a team, it’s not just one player.”
James is the younger sister of Chelsea and England defender Reece James, and said before the tournament that she hoped to use the World Cup to carve out an identity separate from her sibling, whose name is regularly mentioned in tandem with hers but rarely, if ever, vice versa.
She had begun to do so in stunning style before she was sent off in the 87th minute of Monday night’s match-up, scoring the only goal in England’s 1-0 group stage victory over Denmark before netting two and picking up three assists in the Lionesses’ 6-1 win over China, in the process becoming the only England player of either gender to contribute to five goals in a single World Cup contest.
