Super Falcons qualify for knock-out stages of World Cup as results elsewhere go their way

NIGERIA'S Super Falcons have qualified for the knockout stages of the ongoing Fifa Women's World Cup and are due to face Germany in the Round of 16 after results in other groups enabled them to qualify as one of the four best third placed teams.

In their final Group A match that took place at Roazhon Park in Rennes on Monday, the Falcons were on course to clinch a point and automatic qualification for the next round. However, Honduran referee Melissa Borjas awarded the French a questionable penalty in the 79th minute and to make matters worse, after the penalty was missed by French defender Wendie Renard, it was awarded again at the instance of Dutch video assistant referee Danny Makkelie.

After one victory and lone loss from their first two games against South Korea and Norway, the Falcons needed a point against France to guarantee qualifying for the Round of 16. However, with the loss thanks to dubious refereeing decisions, they had to wait for the outcomes of other games to see if they will qualify as one of the best third placed teams in the tournament.

Fortunately for the Falcons, results in other groups went their way, so they qualify as one of the four best third placed teams alongside Cameroon, China and Brazil. This will be the first time the Falcons have advanced from the group stages in a World Cup in 20 years as the last time they achieved this feat was at the 1999 tournament.

Yesterday, a 3-0 win for Chile over Thailand would have ended the Falcons dreams of qualification but having led 2-0, the South Americans lost a late penalty in dramatic fashion to hand the Nigerians a spot in the knockout stage. Cameroon also qualified as one of the third best-placed teams, thus making this the first time two African teams will reach the knockout stages of the competition.