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Kevin De Bruyne insists he is “way ahead” of schedule on his return from a hamstring injury that cut short his appearance in Manchester City’s Champions League final win. The 32-year-old scored 10 goals and provided 31 assists as City won the treble last season, adding the FA Cup and Champions League to a fifth Premier League crown in six years. De Bruyne revealed that he was carrying a hamstring injury for the last two months of the campaign and was forced off just 36 minutes into the 1-0 win over Inter Milan in June. His first action back was off the bench as a second-half substitute in Sunday’s Community Shield meeting with Arsenal – where he set up Cole Palmer for the opening goal but then missed the first penalty as the Gunners won a shoot-out 4-1. “I’m way ahead of schedule,” he said after the Wembley clash. “I was probably looking to be back around the game vs Seville (in the Super Cup on August 16). I just enjoyed my summer, worked on my injury. “I came back and the scan was good so I trained mostly alone in Japan. That went well, I’m happy. “You don’t know how the injury will be. Mostly in the past I’ve always been quite a quick healer. It’s the body.” City begin the defence of their league title with a trip to Sky Bet Championship winners Burnley on Friday night. De Bruyne, though, admits he does not know if he will be fit enough to start at Turf Moor. “I don’t know how I am physically,” added the Belgium international. I'm getting better and there's still around 70-80 games this year so I should be fine! Kevin De Bruyne “I’ve probably trained five or six times with the team. I’m not too worried about it. I played 45 minutes at a good level so I’m happy with that. “I’m getting better and there’s still around 70-80 games this year so I should be fine!” Pep Guardiola has yet to confirm who will take over as City’s new captain this season after Ilkay Gundogan departed for Barcelona. Kyle Walker – linked with a move to Bayern Munich this summer – led City out at Wembley, while De Bruyne took the armband when he replaced Mateo Kovacic on 64 minutes. Asked about the captaincy, De Bruyne replied: “Nothing yet. I don’t know. “If I get it, I get it. It’s not going to change anything I do for the club. This is my ninth year, I know the club inside out and people know whatever they ask of me, I’ll do. “I’m not too worried. I try to do the same as always. It’s an honour if I get it and if not, it doesn’t matter.”

Manchester City star Kevin De Bruyne says the new approach to added time “doesn’t make any sense” and warns overworked players face up to 25 minutes being tagged on to some games. Competitions around the world have been instructed to more accurately calculate time lost to stoppages this season, including goal celebrations and VAR checks. Arsenal equalised in the 11th of 13 added minutes at the end of Sunday’s Community Shield against Manchester City and went on to win on penalties. The change in approach follows a directive from the game’s lawmaking body, the International Football Association Board (IFAB), which believes it will lead to a reduction in time-wasting and an increase in effective playing time. The move was largely positively received when it was first trialled at last year’s men’s World Cup in Qatar, but De Bruyne is not convinced. “We spoke to the Arsenal players and even the referees (about it) – they don’t even want to do it, but it’s the new rule and it’s what it is,” he said after Sunday’s match at Wembley. “A game like today, even the first half with three minutes extra, you can only guess what’s going to happen if you play a lower team who keep timewasting all the time. “Today we played 12 to 13 minutes. I can see games going for 20-25 minutes (extra). I think this will change in one to two months, but this is the first game. “I’m thinking if we play Sevilla in Olympiakos (in the UEFA Super Cup) on Wednesday (August 16) and have 15-20 extra minutes and then play on Saturday again (against Newcastle) it’s like two times extra time. “We’ll see how it goes, but it doesn’t make any sense.” Players from the Manchester clubs met with Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) chief executive Maheta Molango last week and expressed their concerns about the change in approach. A PFA spokesperson added: “Across what is now essentially a year-long football season, players are already thinking of these additional minutes in terms of extra games being played. “It also comes at a time when players are pushing back against what is, increasingly, a completely unsustainable football calendar.” World players’ union FIFPRO published a report earlier this year which found players with high workloads could face the equivalent of three extra games per season if the levels of added time witnessed at the World Cup in Qatar were sustained over the course of a campaign. At the PFA meeting last week was Manchester United defender Raphael Varane, who spoke out earlier on Monday about the “damaging” impact of the changes which he said had come in without consulting players. Varane retired from international football earlier this year aged 29 after comparing life at the top level to constantly going around a washing machine. He tweeted on Monday: “From the managers and players, we have shared our concerns for many years now that there are too many games, the schedule is overcrowded, and it’s at a dangerous level for players’ physical and mental well-being. “Despite our previous feedbacks, they have now recommended for next season: longer games, more intensity, and less emotions to be shown by players. “We just want to be in good condition on the pitch to give 100 per cent to our club and fans. Why are our opinions not being heard?” FIFA found an average of 10 minutes and 11 seconds were added to matches at the Qatar World Cup, an increase on the 2018 finals in Russia, but it also found effective playing time increased by over four minutes. It also found that as players became used to the new approach, the time added on dropped. Eleven minutes and six seconds were added on average at the group stage in Qatar, but dropped as low as seven minutes and 15 seconds in the last 16. The Community Shield lasted 105 minutes and 45 seconds, much longer than last season’s average Premier League game which was 98 minutes and 31 seconds. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Jade Clarke says England ‘broke the glass ceiling’ despite World Cup final loss Owen Farrell says England will use any World Cup expectations ‘to our advantage’ Steve Borthwick defends World Cup selection with Billy Vunipola ‘in great shape’

A Belarusian sprinter whose team tried to force her out of the Tokyo Olympics has been declared eligible to represent Poland ahead of the upcoming world championships

Tottenham Hotspur have rejected Bayern Munich’s latest offer for Harry Kane. Bayern submitted their third offer of the summer for the England captain on Friday and an apparent deadline of midnight was also set by the German club. All weekend passed without any further development but Spurs have now responded on Monday and rejected Bayern’s latest bid, it is understood. Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy was reported to have met with Bayern officials last week, but the clubs remain around £25m apart in their valuation. Friday’s bid was expected to be the final offer made by the Bundesliga champions and it remains to be seen whether or not they will continue their pursuit of Kane. Kane has entered the final 12 months of his contract at Tottenham, but ignored the noise around his future to score four goals in a 5-1 friendly win over Shakhtar Donetsk on Sunday. Dejan Kulusevski set up Kane’s hat-trick strike and hailed the professionalism of his team-mate. “He scored four goals, so very good,” Kulusevski exclaimed. “Nah, he’s unbelievable. Honestly, his mentality, I can learn from him like everybody. He just goes out and performs day in day out. “He’s a true professional. I’m happy I helped him score today but of course we want him to stay and we’ll do everything to make him stay.” Asked whether it would be beneficial to have Kane’s future sorted sooner rather than later, Kulusevski admitted: “I think it would. On the other hand, you can only control what you can control. We players cannot do anything about it. “We work our hardest, try to stay ready and the players that manage it, it’s up to them.” This latest twist in the Kane saga increases the likelihood that the forward will feature in Sunday’s Premier League opener at Brentford. Before Tottenham make the trip across the capital, Postecoglou will take his squad to Barcelona on Tuesday for their final pre-season match this summer. It will be another opportunity for Postecoglou to get his players attuned to his front-foot, progressive style of football and Kulusevski, after being accustomed to a pragmatic and counter-attacking approach under Antonio Conte previously, is relishing the attacking brand brought in. “It is fun actually. I love it,” he said. “You have to be physically very good, I love that too. I’m enjoying having a lot of ball higher on the pitch, so I’m very grateful to have him (Postecoglou). “I like him a lot. Also at half-time he was very angry because we stopped playing for five minutes and you cannot be like that. “You have to play always. Just because you’re tired, you (can’t) let them have the ball. Things happen like that. So I like him a lot and I’m looking forward to improving under him.” Kulusevski did concede there will be an adjustment period for Tottenham under Postecoglou’s new bold style. He said: “Everything takes time in life, but the thing is we really, really have to believe in it. It’s not enough if he’s trying to make us believe. We all have to do it. “But we’re in a good way, I think. This was the first game when we played 90 minutes. We’re happy, we ran a lot. It was quite good. “Last season, maybe we scored one and then we tried to protect the result. So, of course we have to improve but second half was very, very good. “He (Postecoglou) said we always have to play. Don’t shoot away the ball, don’t stop pressing, don’t waste time. Always play, play the same and don’t think about the score or the time. Just play and have fun. “We all want to score much more. When we go 1-0, we want to score the second, not back off. So, we all want to score much more.” Read More Dejan Kulusevski vows to ‘do everything’ to keep Harry Kane at Tottenham Postecoglou aims ‘deadline’ dig at Bayern over Kane transfer saga Harry Kane puts speculation to one side with four goals in Tottenham friendly Gary Lineker worried about Tottenham’s campaign with or without Harry Kane Bayern awaiting Tottenham response on ‘final’ offer for Harry Kane James Maddison wants ‘world’s best number nine’ Harry Kane to stay at Spurs

Expectations were high for the United States Women’s National Team before the World Cup this year, but things hardly went as planned for them. The side, which is the most successful in Women’s international history, struggled to make it out of the group stages before crashing out to Sweden in the Round of 16. It’s a surprise result considering the talent in the side and their legacy in the competition – and it’s certainly not the outcome that Netflix were hoping for. The streaming platform has been following the side behind the scenes as they attempted to retain the trophy they won back in 2019 and 2015. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Despite the USA being knocked out before the semi-finals for the first time ever, the series is still expected to be aired. The show is said to feature the likes of USA players Alyssa Thompson, Alex Morgan and Megan Rapinoe. Rapinoe has been an icon of the Women’s game for years now, but she was one of the players to miss crucial penalties in the shootout against Sweden alongside Sophia Smith and Kelly O'Hara. Football fans will still be expected to watch the series, which is set to follow a similar format to the sports documentary series Break Point, Full Swing and Formula 1: Drive to Survive. The series will still air, but football fans are jokingly asking just how long the series will be after the US team were dumped out far earlier than expected. One social media user cheekily referred to the doc as a “mini-series”. “They’re out in the last 16 so this can be an Instagram reel now,” another wrote. One more said: “Netflix will go to any length to cancel a show early.” Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

Coco Gauff has signaled that she is ready to contend for the title at the U.S. Open starting later this month by winning the hard-court tournament in Washington

Aston Villa captain John McGinn is in line for an Easter Road return after his side were paired with Hibernian or Luzern in the Europa Conference League play-offs. The Scotland midfielder will be back in Leith on August 24 if Hibs can get past the Swiss side in the third qualifying round. McGinn spent three years with Hibs and helped them win the Scottish Cup in 2016 for the first time in 114 years, before moving to Villa in 2018. The Champions League draw earlier saw Rangers set up for a potential reunion of their own after they were paired against PSV Eindhoven or Sturm Graz if they progress. The Ibrox side were seeded in the draw but must first get past Swiss side Servette, who travel to Glasgow on Wednesday in the first leg of the third qualifying round. The Gers beat PSV 3-2 on aggregate at the same stage last year to reach the group stage, with Antonio Colak grabbing the winner when he netted the only goal of the second leg in the Netherlands. Sturm Graz have included former Motherwell wing-back Max Johnston in their European squad, although he has only featured for the second team since his recent move. Rangers would be at home in the first leg of the play-offs, which take place in the final two weeks of August. Defeat against Servette would see them go straight into the Europa League group stage. Aberdeen could also face a rematch with recent opponents after being paired with either BK Hacken or Lithuanians Zalgiris Vilnius in the Europa League play-offs. The Dons beat the Swedes 5-1 at Pittodrie two years ago. Barry Robson’s team are assured of group-stage football as they will drop into the Europa Conference League if they lose. Also in the Conference League, Hearts will take on Croatians Hajduk Split or Greek side PAOK if they can get past Rosenborg. Derry City will face Czech side Viktoria Plzen or Gzira United of Malta if they can see off Tobol Kostanay of Kazakhstan. Play-off ties take place over the last two weeks in August. Read More Football rumours: Chelsea’s Romelu Lukaku player swap bid hits snag Football rumours: Manchester United enter race to sign Southampton’s Romeo Lavia England striker Alessia Russo pleased to make the most of her ‘moment’ England veteran Rachel Daly concerned by ACL issue at Women’s World Cup Rachel Daly: England’s prolific goalscorer in profile Alisha Lehmann: The Swiss attacker and Instagram superstar in profile

Star England forward Lauren James stepped on a Nigeria defender late in a tense round-of-16 game and received a red card that could rule her out of the remainder of the Women's World Cup

Incredibly, there was another level of noise for the crowd of over 75,000 at the Olympic Stadium to reach. The loudest roar of the night came when Australia were already through. Leading Denmark by two goals, the Women’s World Cup and its co-hosts got the moment they had been waiting for. Sam Kerr, the face of the tournament, had finally arrived. Ruled out of the group stages due to injury, Kerr got her first minutes of the World Cup as the Matildas stood with one foot already in the quarter-finals. With the game won and Denmark well beaten, Kerr’s touches were inconsequential; that her only shot from the angle flashed over the bar did not matter. But Australia have their star back, the final piece for a team who are delivering for their country and are growing with the competition. Kerr’s introduction came moments after Hayley Raso had sent the home crowd into a frenzy, doubling Australia’s lead with a crisp finish from another clinical counter-attack. The crowd in Sydney had been electric when Australia attacked, a rolling wave of noise that grew from Caitlin Foord’s sublime opening goal. Nothing, though, could compare to the welcome Kerr received and what it represented for a team who are starting to believe they are contenders again. For so long at this World Cup, Kerr had been forced to watch on as a kind of mascot: the star who could not play. A calf injury had cruelly ruled the Chelsea star out of Australia’s opening game, an absence that grew to three matches as the Matildas were forced to find a way to survive the group stage without their leader. But Australia’s performance in thrashing Canada 4-0 also ensured that Kerr did not need to be used. Once again without Kerr, this time in the last-16, their display against Denmark meant the game was won when she finally arrived. Because with Kerr sidelined, Australia have managed to adjust, instead becoming a different side entirely. It clicked against Canada, a 4-0 win that not only saved their World Cup but sparked their tournament into life. Players who looked lost without Kerr were suddenly released, and they have now grown with the responsibility. Foord was outstanding once again against Denmark, a constant, driving threat on Australia’s left. She was released for the opening goal by the brilliant Mary Fowler, the 20-year-old who excelled as she manipulated the space between the lines, while Raso scored again with another clinical finish. Suddenly Australia now have goal threats across the front line, with the best striker in the world still to add against either France or Morocco in the quarter-finals. “It’s the icing on the cake,” beamed the Australia manager Tony Gustavsson, but Kerr also returns to a team who have changed in her absence and where actually she isn’t guaranteed a start in the quarter-final given how the side has performed. Australia now have multiple goalscorers and other players have taken some of the weight off her shoulders. “It’s a massive boost,” Foord said. “For other teams looking ahead, it’s pretty scary for them that she’s back with us.” The question now, though, is how and when Kerr returns to the starting line-up, and who drops out. Without Kerr, Australia have settled on a 4-4-2 system that is devastating on the counter-attack, an unassuming loaded gun of formation that is built to spring into life on the break. In the atmosphere of the Olympic Stadium, this sort of gritty, counter-punching team, willed on by a wall of sound, looks so dangerous. Foord fits it superbly. A forward with guts and spirit and as well as skill, who has found her confidence since her underwhelming opening displays against Ireland and Nigeria, she was Australia’s player of the match for the second match in a row. She was released by Fowler’s stunning turn and pass for the opener: Foord, with so much time in which to find the finish, kept her head to bury the shot through the legs of Lene Christensen. Australia’s second was also played out to the soundtrack of a team crashing forwards. The break developed on the left, with Kyra Cooney-Cross’ overlapping run from midfield. Emily van Egmond laid it back to Raso, a player who has found her scoring touch. The finish was fired low into the corner for her third goal of the World Cup. Kerr had called to warm-up only a couple of minutes earlier, the excitement rippling around the stadium, yet Australia did not need her really. This was a composed and confident performance, entirely measured, and avoiding the sort of draining emotional energy that accompanied England’s penalty shootout victory over Nigeria earlier in the day. Denmark barely threatened after going behind. Their early chances invariably came through Pernille Harder, their roaming menace who Denmark are just unable to support. Harder went through twice in the opening stages - driving at a retreating Australia defence, first she went to the outside and shot wide, before then ducking inside and firing straight at Mackenzie Arnold. On both counts she knew she should have done better. Denmark were largely forgotten about here as the hosts cruised through and the Kerr mystery was solved. The theories that the extent of Kerr’s injury was being covered up would have grown when she only watched on during Australia’s warm-up, wearing her boots but wrapped under a heavy coat that did not come off. At half time she was not among the players loosening up on the pitch. But for Australia, getting Kerr back was the final step of a tournament that has been defined by their reaction to overcome challenges. After the chaos of the group stage, where they stood on the brink of an early exit, there was finally a comfortable win. This is a team who are galvanised, coming together, and just at the right time. Read More England survive penalty drama to reveal vital quality in Women’s World Cup dream Who and when do England play next? Lionesses route to the World Cup final Women’s World Cup TV schedule: How to watch every match today Chloe Kelly: England’s woman for the biggest occasion strikes again A timeline of Donald Trump’s spat with Megan Rapinoe How many games will Lauren James miss at Women’s World Cup after red card?

There wasn't to be any tearing off of shirts in jubilation on this occasion but England's footballing history has a new Chloe Kelly routine that will seize space in highlight reels for years to come. Kelly hadn't been entrusted with a starting role but knew she had the chance to steal the show – and as she skipped towards the penalty spot in the shootout, it was clear she was going to do just that. Chiamaka Nnadozie guessed correctly but didn't stand a chance. Kelly pranced with the chance to rescue her nation's hopes from tatters and unleashed a rocket. And while her actions may not have won England a trophy this time around it didn’t feel too dissimilar. The wayward passing no longer mattered; the fact England were toothless could be forgotten about; Lauren James' rash foul and subsequent sending off was something to be dealt with at a later date. It may have been ugly but the Lionesses refused to let their World Cup hopes die this early. England are lucky that they are not planning their flights home but they're unlikely to dwell on that fact. It, too, is likely to be wiped from history. All that is going to be remembered is that when it was needed the most it was Kelly who was there once again – first she won her country the Euros, now she's given them a fighting chance at success on the world stage. How, then, does a player react after something like that? What do they say when they know the magnitude of what they've just accomplished? If your name is Chloe Kelly it seems that you act quickly to divert any attention. "It's the team, this team is special," she said. "We did it at the Euros, we did it at the Finalissima, there's more to come from this team." Kelly's modesty is ever-present. The team – for the most part at least – hadn't done what was needed. They were lacking in creativity and handed Nigeria the opportunity to send them packing. The fact that this game had even got to a penalty shootout showed a failure to perform but that hadn't crossed Kelly's mind. It may be cliché but it is of course the results that matter and Kelly made sure the result went her team's way. She didn't even muster a touch in Nigeria's box after being brought on as an 87th-minute substitute but, once again, that is now immaterial. When this game is remembered in years to come Kelly will be remembered for one solitary moment, and she will be remembered as England's saviour. And if one thing is certain it's that England needed saving. They started nervously and that became the theme of the match. Their freewheeling demolition of China was a distant memory in the face of a Nigeria side who seemed to be outclassing them in nearly every area of the pitch. England gave the ball away; Nigeria saw that they were there for the taking. By the time the whistle blew for the break Sarina Wiegman's side had already had to face nine shots, the most in any opening 45 minutes while she's been in charge – they had been sluggish and borderline beleaguered. Things weren't going well in the middle of the park and it wasn't any better up top. Alessia Russo hit straight at the keeper when gifted the ball on the edge of the box, Rachel Daly saw two efforts saved from corners, but apart from that they produced little of note. Had Nigeria been more clinical the game wouldn't have even seen extra time, never mind penalties. Ashleigh Plumptre thundered an early effort against the crossbar and, after that, the woodwork was her side's greatest adversary; when they managed to find ways to wrong-foot the English defence it was there to do the Lionesses' bidding. It looked to be yet another of those nights that English supporters have got used to feeling at major tournaments: just as any hint of positivity arises a calamity ensues and so too does an early exit. When James made the immature decision to stamp on Michelle Alozie's back and was sent off after a VAR review it only compounded the sense that all hope was lost. When it became apparent that penalties were a certainty things didn't feel much better; the sizable English support in Brisbane couldn't muster any atmosphere as they awaited what felt so likely to be yet another crushing tournament defeat. The United States had exited the tournament after a shootout a day prior and England's record – defeat in both of theirs in major tournaments – made for grim reading. Their path towards the final looked to have opened up, Keira Walsh had made a miraculous recovery to return from injury in time to take on Nigeria, but they were on their way to being victims of their own errors. Kelly's heroics made sure that eventuality was avoided and rescued her country from the jaws of defeat. Now they've booked a spot in the quarter-finals, against either Colombia or Jamaica on Saturday, and are just three wins from lifting the World Cup. The fact they once again managed an unlikely win should boost their confidence. Winning teams need times like these in tournaments; it won't always be plain sailing. The best have their character tested but find a way to come out on top – just as England did when they narrowly edged past Spain in added time at the Euros last summer. They're going to have to play the rest of this tournament without the dynamism of James but they're still in with a shout. The players will know it could take just 270 more minutes for them to achieve their goal – and they'll know that they owe it to Kelly. Even if she doesn't get many more chances to play this summer and remains a bench player, she will forever be remembered for providing the needed miracle in Brisbane. English success would be nothing without her. Read More Lauren James sent off for stamping on opponent during England’s World Cup clash England survive penalty drama to reveal vital quality in Women’s World Cup dream How many games will Lauren James miss at Women’s World Cup after red card? England players rush to console Nigeria’s goalkeeper after winning shootout 4-2 England scrape into Women’s World Cup quarter-finals after penalty shootout drama Sarina Wiegman: The Lionesses’s all-conquering coach in profile

After England defeated Nigeria in a penalty shootout to progress in the Women's World Cup, the usual scenes of jubilation were stalled by a few Lionesses who decided to pay their respects to a defiant Nigerian side - especially their despondent goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie. As Nigeria pushed England to the brink, the match threatened to be defined by an uncharacteristic Lauren James incident. The England star who only picked up one yellow card in the Women's Super League for Chelsea last season was handed a straight red for a bizarre stamp on Michelle Alozie just minutes before the end of regular time. For the Lionesses, their defining moments followed in short succession. Firstly, Chloe Kelly lashed in the winning penalty in the resulting shoot-out, before she rushed over to comfort a fallen Nnadozie with Alex Greenwood and Hannah Hampton. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Then, with a camera looming over a tearful Nnadozie, Kelly ordered it to back-off and away from the trio as they shared a moment of comfort in amidst the celebrations. It's safe to say that the moment caught some positive attention: Next in the Women's World Cup, England will play either Jamaica or Colombia on Saturday 12 August - and they will be without James. As for other news, Donald Trump decided to get himself involved in the discourse surrounding the USWMNT and their exit from the World Cup by igniting his bizarre feud with Megan Rapinoe. Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

If England are to win this World Cup, they will scarcely endure a game as testing or as tense as this. A positive spin on this penalty shoot-out victory over Nigeria is that it could again be the making of them, adding to their resolve, with Chloe Kelly once more offering a decisive kick. A negative is that this should bring a reconsideration about what is possible, especially with the likelihood that Lauren James will miss two games if not all three potential ties left. Her teammates did her a huge favour here. This World Cup still remains as hard to work out as James’ decision to stand on Michelle Alozie in the second half, receiving a red card. England came very close to another surprise elimination as Nigeria proved to be their equals throughout the match. England should have been their superiors, really. The great irony is that the red card almost served England better – at least in this situation. Before then, the system and the set-up had been all wrong, as it clearly didn’t suit the returning Keira Walsh. She picked up another injury during this arduous evening in Brisbane. This strategic misstep meant Nigeria did all the attacking and had all the play. After the red, though, it was as if Randy Waldrum’s side didn’t know how to play against 10 women. Both sides looked like they’d forgotten how to attack. That continued into the shootout as the first two were missed. It was only Bethany England that set things right. For all the criticisms and questions that could come with this game, one element should be noted. It would have been very easy for England to wilt here, especially given the very feel of this World Cup with the United States going out the night before. Instead, there was a mental resolve there, that was clearly set by last summer. It was visible in the penalties too. It does give Sarina Wiegman even more to think about, though. She must reshuffle this team again, accommodating the absence of James – maybe until the final, if England even get that far. Jamaica or Colombia will give Wiegman’s side as tough a test in the quarter-final in Sydney. It is England’s attack – and in fact their very attacking mentality – that now requires the most consideration. England had specifically prepared for Nigeria’s physicality in the tackle, seeking to step off so as not to play that game, but it quickly became apparent this was almost too meek. They were giving up too much space and too many chances. Nigeria had more shots in the first half than any team that Wiegman’s England have faced. One of them was Ashleigh Plumptre’s thunderous strike off the bar, before the former English underage international then forced a scrambled save from Mary Earps. England were looking for that spell of control, but it was almost too methodical, lacking real energy. The strangeness around the penalty decision only added to this. Even if it wasn’t a penalty in the first place, despite the fact there didn’t look to be enough obvious evidence to see it overturned. The referee made the call just as Georgia Stanway was motioning to shoot, making it all the more frustrating for England. This was the story of almost every move forward. It was also the story of Stanway’s penalty later on. James, admittedly, was being superbly shuttled out of the game by Nigeria. That surely led to the frustration she took out later. In the moment, it meant that any time England got forward there were vast differences between their attackers. On the one occasion in the first half when Nigeria’s occasional sloppiness brought a defensive error, Alessia Russo opted to smash the ball when she should have gone with more subtlety. Goalkeeper, Chiamaka Nnadozie, well off her line, was just waiting to be chipped. She instead got down well to save an effort that should have made it much more difficult for her. Space was so difficult to find for James, however, that she increasingly had to drop back and get the ball. England did gradually solve one issue, mind. For the first half, and going into the second, Nigeria were creating panic every time they got into the box. There was one desperate and defiant block from Jess Carter. There were more than a few moments when the ball could have gone anywhere. That did come with a cost, though. It almost seemed like England were so concerned with Nigeria breaking – especially when the half-fit Asisat Oshoala came on – that they were too reluctant to commit players forward. The wing-backs rarely crossed the halfway line. There were no real chances created. It said much that the best of normal time was a corner, Rachel Daly’s thunderous header just a little too central. Nnadozie still reacted superbly, though. The same, alas, could not be said of James. Alozie’s own reaction said enough. It was almost one of disbelief. She was far from the only person thinking that. The oddity was that the situation served England better. It was as if Nigeria weren’t able to capitalise against 10, especially with the onus now on them. From then, penalties seemed inevitable. England going through certainly didn’t look as inevitable as many would have thought. Read More Lauren James sent off for stamping on opponent during England’s World Cup clash England vs Nigeria LIVE: Score and updates as Women’s World Cup game goes to penalty shootout How ‘arrogance’ and ‘complacency’ led to United States’ decline A timeline of Donald Trump’s spat with Megan Rapinoe How many games will Lauren James miss at Women’s World Cup after red card? Keira Walsh: England’s deep-lying playmaker in profile