There are no products in your shopping cart.
0 Items | £0.00 |
NIGERIA'S Super Falcons played their final Olympic warm-up game against Canada yesterday at the at La Quinta Football Centre in the southern Spanish city of Malaga succumbing to a narrow 0-1 loss against the defending champions.
In a match, which was more or less evenly balanced, the Falcons fielded a strong line-up, with coach Randy Waldrum going for a 4-4-2 diamond formation. he had been hoping to maintain the team's 15 match unbeaten game run but alas, the Falcons were unable to respond to a first have goal they conceded despite mounting a lot of pressure.
At the last Women's World Cup, Nigeria and Canada played a 0-0 draw in what was tagged the Group of Death with the Canadians ending up not qualifying from the group as Nigeria and hosts Australia went through to the knock-out stages. Canada, who will be looking to defend the Olympic gold medal they won three years ago, scored in the 18th minute of yesterday's match and were able to hold on to it.
This was the two teams’ final preparation match before heading to Paris for the 2024 Olympic Games. Canada started brightly and took the lead through Jordyn Huitema of Chilliwack in the 18th minute and despite several chances, Nigeria could not find an equaliser, with the best chance coming when Echegini hit the post in the second half with a sweeping shot that had the Canadian keeper beaten.
Chiamaka Nnadozie started in goal for Nigeria, with a defence of Michelle Alozie, Chidinma Okeke, Oluwatosin Demehin and Osinachi Ohale. Nigeria's midfield featured Deborah Abiodun and Christy Ucheibe in the centre with Jennifer Echegini and Toni Payne playing out wide, with Chinwendu Ihezuo and Atletico Madrid’s Rasheedat Ajibade leading the attack.
Nigeria's Falcon's suffered their last loss in a 1-0 defeat to Colombia in February 2023. This was also the Super Falcons’ first loss of the year 2024, with Nigeria having recorded two wins and two draws against Cameroon and South Africa this year.
In eight days time, the Falcons will begin their Olympic campaign with a crucial match against Brazil in Bordeaux and further games against Spain and Japan to follow. Nigeria's men won Olympic gold at the Atlanta Olympics in 1996 and the women's team will be looking to follow suit this time around.