Beth England (left), who scored from the spot in England’s shootout win, chatting to Chloe Kelly, who netted the winning penalty [Catherine Etoe]

THIS World Cup may have been packed with shock results and the surprise early exits of giants such as Brazil, Germany and the USA, but England are marching on.

The Lionesses are set for quarter-final action against Colombia on Saturday, but it took an edgy round-of-16 penalty shootout victory over Nigeria to get them there.

“It shows how high the level of this tournament is,” said Arsenal forward Alessia Russo after the 4-2 win on penalties.

“We’ve already seen it and Nigeria took it as far as it could go.

“I’m just buzzing we’ve got into the next round and we’ve got another game to play.”

You would have to be living under a rock not to know that Chelsea’s Lauren James blotted her otherwise outstanding copybook in that match with a petulant stamp on Michelle Alozie and a resulting red card.

But Tottenham striker and super sub Beth England had much to be proud of with a clinically taken penalty in the shootout – an experience she later described as the most pressured of her career.

There was a chance that England would face her Spurs teammates Becky Spencer and Drew Spence of Jamaica in the last eight, but the Reggae Girlz lost out by a single goal to Colombia on Tuesday.

Australia fair

Co-hosts Australia are in the quarters after a Caitlin Foord-inspired Matildas side overcame a Denmark line-up that featured her Arsenal clubmate Kathrine Kuhl.

Foord shone in that encounter, her every touch – and coolly taken opening goal – prompting huge cheers from the crowd of more than 75,000 at Stadium Australia in Sydney.

After their 2-0 win over the Danes, fellow Gunner Steph Catley hailed Foord’s performance. “She’s an incredible player and she’s been building for a while now, so it’s nice to see her let loose and do her thing,” said Catley. “She is a pleasure to play with, that’s for sure.”

On Saturday, Australia will face France, who comfortably dispatched a Morocco side that included Spurs forward Rosella Ayane 4-0 on Tuesday.

One to watch

Meanwhile, Denmark captain and former Chelsea star Pernille Harder has hailed young Arsenal midfielder Kathrine Kuhl as a player for the future.

The 20-year-old, who was signed by the Gunners in January, featured in all four of Denmark’s World Cup matches out in Australia.

“I think she grew into the tournament,” Harder told the New Journal. “I’m impressed that she came in, playing in front of 75,000, and just killed it. She has a lot of qualities, she’s a young player still, but if you use her right, treat her right, she will be very good.”