Nigeria, the second of three African teams to reach the round of 16 in the ongoing Fifa Women’s World Cup, has been knocked out by England. The Super Falcons lost 4-2 to the Three Lionesses who were the underdogs going into the game.
England showcased their resilience as they secured a hard-fought victory against a determined Nigeria side.
Despite facing a formidable challenge, the English team managed to secure their progress to the next stage.
However, Nigeria will be left pondering their missed opportunity, wondering how they narrowly missed out on advancing in the competition.
Despite their impressive performance, the Nigerian team found themselves unable to convert their chances. The Nigerian team came agonizingly close to taking the lead when Plumptre unleashed a powerful strike that rattled the crossbar. Plumptre continued to threaten the opposition, forcing a remarkable save from Earps shortly after.
The Super Falcons were granted a fortunate reprieve when, with just over thirty minutes remaining on the clock, the referee awarded a penalty following a challenge by Ajibade on Daly. However, after a review by VAR, the decision was ultimately overturned, leaving the scoreline deadlocked at 0-0 as the teams headed into the halftime break.
The Super Falcons showcased their dominance on the field during both the first and second halves, narrowly missing two opportunities to score with impressive strikes from Plumptre and Kanu that unfortunately hit the woodwork. Their relentless performance proved their superiority even before James, from the opposing team, received a red card for a moment of frustration, as she carelessly stamped on Alozie in the dying moments of regular time.
Waldrum’s team relentlessly pressed forward during extra time, constantly posing a threat to their opponents. However, their failure to convert their chances proved costly as England managed to hold on until the match went to penalties.
In a tense shootout, Oparanozie and Alozie failed to find the target with their spot-kicks, leaving the door wide open for England. Seizing the opportunity, Kelly confidently struck the ball into the back of the net, propelling the European champions to victory and securing their place in the next round.
This comes as South Africa was knocked out yesterday after losing 2-0 to the Netherlands.
Morocco is the only African team remaining in the tournament.
