Women's World Cup 2015: Siobhan Chamberlain takes emergency World Cup debut in her stride

No 1 Karen Bardsley had to be taken off in the quarter-final because of an eye allergy

(Getty Images)

She had to wait eight years and three World Cups to make her England debut in the competition, but when the Arsenal goalkeeper Siobhan Chamberlain’s moment finally arrived it was in the vital role of an emergency second-half substitute.

Chamberlain was sent into the action six minutes after the interval of Saturday’s quarter-final against Canada here when the first-choice goalkeeper Karen Bardsley, suffering what was later diagnosed as an eye allergy, had to be taken off.

As Bardsley is monitored ahead of the semi-final against Japan, Chamberlain, the former Chelsea, Birmingham City and Bristol Academy player – who played at Bristol for three years under the now England coach Mark Sampson before joining Arsenal – is on stand-by to start the game at Edmonton’s Commonwealth Stadium.

Karen Bardsley is being monitored and may be fit to play in the semi-final (Getty Images)

“We have to see how Bards is,” said Chamberlain, “but you’ve always got to be ready regardless. That’s how I was in the quarter-final, and it’ll be the same if I’m needed for the semi.

“On Saturday Bards had mentioned to me as we came out for the second half that she had a problem, but I’d warmed up at half-time anyway and in any case you know as a goalkeeper that anything can happen at any point in a game.”

Chamberlain looked relaxed as she prepared herself on the touchline while Bardsley was receiving on-field treatment before being escorted off. “If I’d started rushing or panicking, that’s not a good place to be,” said the 31-year-old. “I thought, ‘they can’t start the game without me,’ so I took my time.

“And I enjoyed it out there. It’s a strange one, because you’re coming into that situation that maybe you shouldn’t enjoy because there’s so much pressure on you. But I loved it. I didn’t feel nervous at all, the situation just took me into it and I embraced the opportunity.”

England were winning 2-1 at the time of Chamberlain’s introduction and, despite continuing pressure from the Canucks as they chased an equaliser with 54,000 home supporters urging them on, she and her defence held firm to maintain the same scoreline and so reach the semi-finals for the first time in England’s history.

“We defended really well, said Chamberlain. “The back four battled and won a lot of the first ball, so that prevented it coming through and took the pressure off me. It was a great feeling at the final whistle – we’ve been to the quarter-finals before but to make that next step, to get to a semi-final, is amazing.”

If Bardsley is declared fit for the semi-final against the reigning world champions she will almost certainly be selected to play, leaving Chamberlain to spend yet another match on the bench and more than likely end her third World Cup with just one substitute appearance to her name.

“As one of three goalkeepers in a squad,” said Chamberlain, “you have to accept that you may not get many or any minutes at a major tournament. It can obviously be frustrating, but that’s a goalkeeper’s lot and all you can do is keep yourself fully focused and prepared to play either from the start of a match or as a substitute if there’s a problem out on the pitch.”

As she waits to hear whether or not her name is the first to be read out by Sampson when he reveals the line-up to face Japan, Chamberlain is either way looking forward to the history-making encounter.

“Japan are an excellent side,” she said, “very technical. They’ve done well in this tournament and it’s going to be a very difficult match. We had a couple of their players [Yukari Kinga and Shinobu Ohno], at Arsenal last year and they were both fantastic. Japan will probably be favourites, but it should be an exciting game and we’re determined to win it and make history again.”

Chamberlain’s appearance, which earned her a 34th England cap, meant that the third-choice keeper Carly Telford is now the only member of Sampson’s 23-player squad who has not yet had any game time during the tournament. As the Notts County player left the BC Place Stadium to board the team bus on Saturday, a fan shouted to her, “time for you to get a match Carly.” “Last man standing,” replied Telford as she disappeared into the bus.