2023 WWC: Lauren James didn’t apologize to me directly – Alozie

Michelle Alozie, a standout player for the Super Falcons, has clarified that contrary to reports suggesting otherwise, Lauren James, the England and Chelsea women’s forward, didn’t directly reach out to her. Instead, James opted to express remorse on social media for a stamp incident that occurred during the 2023 Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

In a round of 16 match where England secured a 4-2 penalty victory against Nigeria, James received a red card in the 87th minute following a VAR review due to a stamp on Alozie.

Subsequently, after the match, James utilized her Twitter account to issue an apology, a gesture that led to her receiving a two-game suspension from FIFA.

In a recent appearance on Channels TV Sports Tonight, Alozie confirmed that James solely expressed her apology through social media platforms, stating, “No, she didn’t reach out to me; the apology was on Twitter and Instagram.”

Furthermore, Alozie discussed her reaction to James’ challenge, noting that her behavior was influenced by the fact that she was already on a yellow card. She refrained from reacting strongly to avoid risking expulsion from the game. Alozie explained, “I found it somewhat amusing how the situation unfolded. Post-game, my emotions were high, and I wasn’t really paying attention to my phone. Teammates showed me a photo of myself, suggesting it might lift my spirits a bit, given my upset state.”

“I restrained my reaction because I was already carrying a yellow card, and I didn’t want to risk getting sent off. Following her actions, I felt it was unnecessary for me to escalate the situation.”

Despite their elimination from the tournament at the round of 16 stage, the Super Falcons managed to avoid defeat in open-play matches throughout the competition.