But despite being a player down, Sarina Wiegman’s side managed to hold on to take the game to penalties – and it was there where they showed their class. Chloe Kelly provided the winning spot-kick to win the shootout 4-2 in at the Suncorp Stadium, booking England’s place in the quarter-finals, where they will face Colombia.
After the game, Wiegman refused to single out James after describing it as a ‘split-second’ error.
“She’s young,” replied the England boss. “This is just a split second and she doesn’t want to harm anyone. It’s later on in the game, so you get a little bit tired too.
“It’s such an intense and emotional game that in a split second where you just don’t control your emotions, then things happen. Of course, she didn’t want to do that, but before she’d even realised it had happened. Very unfortunate. She will absolutely learn from it.”