For Nigeria’s Super Falcon and sports bettors on Betway, the Women’s World Cup means far more than just football. The nine-time African champions remain the only Women team from Africa to qualify for the tournament since its inauguration in 1991. Nigeria is ranked 38th in the FIFA world ranking.
Super Falcons have had proper preparations for the tournament as they featured in the Cyprus Cup, the Meizhou Four Nation Tournaments and had a training camp in Spain where they played Canada in a friendly match before final preparations in Austria.
Since Thomas Dennerby was appointed head coach, the Swede has tried to instil order in the attack and make players work together while still trying to maintain the pace and verve of the forward line. Nigeria plays with a 4-5-1 formation which quickly morphs into 4-4-4 when Rasheedat Ajibade starts, the agility of Barcelona’s forward Asissat Oshoala, the poise and strength of Desire Oparanozie, and Francisca Ordega’s creativity are pivotal to the team’s forward play.
The Super Falcons earned their first Women World Cup win after they secured a 2-0 win against South Korea. After losing to Norway during their first match, Super Falcons gave their all against South Korea in a Group A face-off. Nigeria earned their first goal after Korea’s Kim Do-yeon scored an own-goal in the game’s first half. The second and winning goal saw sports bettor who had placed bets at betway.com.gh celebrate together with the 24-year-old former Liverpool and Nigerian player, Asissat Oshoala to claim the win for Nigeria.
Super Falcon’s best run was in 1999, when they reached the quarter-finals in the USA, but have failed to continue beyond group stages in the past four competitions. From battling personal challenges and carrying the hopes of Africa on their shoulders, the Nigerian team has battled a lot.
South Korea played well against the African champions, but lack of cutting edge cost them. After suffering a 4-0 beating by host France, the Super Falcons fired more blanks as their 18-year-old goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie had little to do. Moreover, they came into this game after losing 3-0 to Norway and had lost three previous World Cup games.
Nigeria end five-hour goal draught – stats
- Nigeria had played for more than five hours since scoring their last World Cup goal.
- South Korea’s Ji So-yun was booked for simulation – first yellow card for simulation in a Women’s World Cup since Erika was booked for Brazil when they played the USA in 2011.
- Nigeria win a World Cup game with more than one goal for the second time since 1999 when they beat Denmark 2-0
- Both own goals in this World Cup have come in games including Nigeria.
- Nigeria kept their first clean-sheet in 15 Women World Cup matches.
- Nigeria is the first team to concede and score an own goal at the same World Cup tournament since 1999.
Next, Nigeria will face the host-team, France to secure a place in the knockout stage as the Women’s World Cup 2019 continues.
