Nigeria on Thursday shocked hosts Australia with a 3-2 victory before 49,156 fans at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane in a vital group B match officiated by Swiss Ref, Esther Staubli..
It was an electric moment for the Nigerians whose supporters were denied visa entry by the Australian embassy in Nigeria and who the Australians were waiting to be inaugurated soccer lords over Nigeria having won two previous encounters.
Mary Fowler’s replacement Emily Van Egmond drew the first blood taking advantage of a sloppy defending to slot a loose ball from C. Foord that beat Cecelia Nnadozie neatly to the left side in the 45+1st minute.
Come back bold winger, Rasheedat Ajibade released a shot that bounced off a defender to underperforming and unmarked Uchenna Kanu who played one that rolled gingerly into the the net with her left foot at stoppage time of 45+6th minute for the equalizer and first tournament goal to Nigeria.
Ajibade who missed the Canada match due to suspension she got against Morocco at Women AFCON created another dramafrom a Nigerian corner kick that she headed to the far post in a coded message well interpreted by 31 year old Deportivo Alves player, Osinachi Ohale to head home with every strength in her in the 65th minute Nigeria’s second goal getting injured in the process. Osinachi Ohale was the player of the match.
Africa’s multiple Best Player and Barcelona of Spain top player who came in for Uchenna Kanu in the 64th minute became the first African player to have scored at three world cup tournaments – push for the pursuit of the Balon D’oor glory.
Oshoala got the ball in a goal mouth melee and showed super star stuff poking it into the net for Nigeria’s 3rd goal in the 72nd minute but she pulled off her shirt leaving the bra to cover her boobs for which the Swiss Ref Esther flashed Oshoala a yellow for breaching football rules a thing that the Cameroonian Captain did and got punished for at the Qatar world cup. The shirt pulling off was unnecessary but it showed raw joy of the irrepressible African Star girl.
Oshoala confessed right after the match that she was kept on the bench because she was not feeling fine saying, “Kudos to my team mates for this excellent performance, be warned Nigeria is back”. She gave a roaring shout that scared the interviewer.
Australia pulled a goal back through Alanna Kennedywho rose to head home with a powerful header in 90+10th minute from a Cooney-Cross corner. Nigeria 3 Australia 2.
Australia has an advantage of their lone goal victory over Ireland when Nigeria forced Canada to a goalless draw in the first round matches of the group. Canada on Wednesday sent home Ireland with a 2-1 victory.
Nigeria now tops group B with 4 points from a win, and a draw scoring 3 goals and conceding 2; Canada is second with 4 points too from a win and a draw scoring 2 goals and conceding one; hosts Australia is 3rd on the table with 3 points from a win and a surprise loss scoring 3 goals and conceding 3 while obviously eliminated Ireland has no point scored a goal and conceded 3 goals.
The last group matches will be played on Monday 31st July with Canada versus hosts Australia in a show of strength at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium while Nigeria plays a formality match with home bound Ireland at Lang Park both matches to be played simultaneously at 1100 hours.
Group C matches would have been decided at 0800 hours between Japan and Spain and Costa Rica versus Zambia at the same time on 31st July.
Australia missed three of her dependable players. Captain Sam Ker of Chelsea has not recovered from her calf injury but may play from the last group match. Manchester Forward, Mary Fowler was replaced in the match against Nigeria with Van Egmond and Defender Aivi Luikt was reported to have had mild concussions in separate training incidents.
Australia had lashed the Super Falcons of Nigeria in their only meeting ever at the 2015 world cup in Canada on 12th June 2015 when Kyah Simon scored a brace in the 29th and 68th minutes to give Australia their win in Group D played before 32,716 spectators at the Investors Group Field at Winnipeg. I also discovered that Australia defeated Nigeria 1-0 in an International friendly played on 17th November 2017.
On Friday at 0100 hours Argentina will test the Bayana Bayana of South Africa power at the Forsyth Barr Stadium in group G. Two second round matches of group D will be decided namely England versus Denmark at the Allianz Stadium at 0930 hours before China will face Haiti at noon (1200 hours) at the Hindmarsh Stadium.
Eniola Olatunji reporting for Patmos Media Line.
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