Goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie made a heroic penalty save in the 50th minute to ensure that Nigeria’s Super Falcons ended their opening game of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup goalless against Olympic champions Canada at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium on Thursday in Australia. The Canadians are the favourites in Group B, which is headed by Australia at the end of Matchday 1 after the Aussies pipped the Republic of Ireland by a lone goal on Wednesday.
Thursday’s game had more cards — two yellow and one red — shown than in the previous two games combined (two).
Canada were captained by powerhouse forward Christine Sinclair, 40, who has a record 190 goals and more than 300 caps across her 22-year career. On the other side, Nigeria was led by star defender Onome Ebi, also 40. Both made their sixth FIFA World Cup appearance.
Both teams cancelled out each other in a game that had few chances, and one where a single goal could have been enough for the side that scored first to win it.
Nigeria’s best chance in the first half came from Ifeoma Onumonu whose strike just outside the box forced the Canadian goalkeeper into a save.
Nigeria’s top player, Asisat Oshoala also got her chance but could not capitalise on an error by the Canadian goalkeeper.
With just five minutes into the second half, Francisca Ordega fouled Sinclair in the box to give the Canadians a chance. Nnadozie, however, had other plans as she went in the right direction to stop Sinclair’s effort.
Nigeria’s Deborah Abidoun, who impressed on her senior FIFA World Cup debut, ended her shift on a sad note after she was shown a straight red card for a dangerous tackle on Ashley Lawrence.
Randy Waldrum’s side will play co-hosts Australia next on Thursday.
