By Harry Awurumibe, Africa’s No.1 Women Football Journalist
Super Falcons
Two second half goals scored by Jessie Fleming 51′ and Vanessa Gilles 72′ gifted host Canada a comfortable 2-0 victory over Nigeria’s Super Falcons in the first of the two-match international friendlies tagged ‘Canada Women’s National Team (WNT) Celebration Tour’ taking place in British Columbia for this April window on the FIFA International Match Calendar.
The first match of the West Coast Series played at the magnificent BC Place Arena in Vancouver in the early hours of Saturday in Nigeria (Friday, 7:30 pm local time) saw the Super Falcons put a strong resistance to the Canadian early forays to end the first half in a barren draw.
However, the Nigerians caved in to pressure in the second half as Canada’s forward, Fleming struck barely six minutes of resumption, beating Chiamaka Nnadozie in goal for Nigeria in the 51′ while defender Gilles added to Super Falcons’ woes in the 72′ after Tochukwu Oluehi replaced Nnadozie.
Canada’s Women’s National Team
Nigeria will hope to do better in the second game on Monday, April 11 at Langford’s Starlight Stadium on Vancouver Island as more players have arrived Super Falcons camp in Vancouver.
Meanwhile, statistics showed that Canada did not dominate Nigeria as expected of the reigning Olympic champions in the first match, thanks to the spirited efforts of the Nigerian girls who played the game of their lives to contain the host playing in front of thousands of their home fans.
Head Coach of Super Falcons, Randy Waldrum had adopted the 5-3-2 formation against Coach Beverley Priestman of Canada who opted for 4-2-3-1 tactic. The formation helped Nigeria to keep the more technically superior Canadians at bay in the first half.
Canada’s Julia Grosso (7) and veteran Christine Sinclair (12) celebrating one of the two goals against Super Falcons in Vancouver last night
But Nigerians will have the excellent goalkeeping prowess of Nnadozie to thank as she made incredible 10 saves against 4 saves by the veteran Stephanie Labbe of Canada.
At full time, Canada had 24 shots on goal with 14 in the first half alone while Nigeria had a paltry total of 6 shots on goal with 4 shots in the first half.
But Nigeria tried to match Canada on Pass Accuracy of 81-71% and Ball
Possession of 60-40 % in the encounter, a platform for Waldrum and his team to build on going into the second game on Monday.
Not a Laughing Matter. ..Super Falcons Head Coach Randy Waldrum and his team have to do better in the next game,
Sportsrevelation can confirm that Coach Waldrum made only one last minute alteration to the Super Falcons startlist published by this newspaper before the epic match, with Portugal-based Christy Ucheibe starting in place of Michelle Alozie in the heart of Nigeria defence.
All other 10 players previewed in our report started the game. They are goalkeeper- Nnadozie; defenders-Onome Ebi, Toni Payne, Akudo Ogbonna, Ashleigh Plumptre and Nicole Payne.
Midfielders Rita Chikwelu, Ucheibe and Rasheedat Ajibade while Uchenna Kanu and Ifeoma Onumonu led the attack on the night.
The reserves who saw action when introduced are goalie Tochukwu Oluehi, Amanda Mbadi, Peace Effih,
Michelle Alozie and new invitee Onyi Echegini (meaning What are you thinking of).
*See Nigeria Startlist**
No. Name
16-Chiamaka Nnadozie
70’sub:-1Tochukwu Oluehi
5-Onome Ebi (Capt)
60′ sub:20- Amanda Mbadi
4-Ashleigh Plumptre
19-Akudo Ogbonna
83′ sub:18-Peace Efih
21-Nicole Payne
7-Toni Payne
15-Rasheedat Ajibade
10-Rita Chikwelu
45′ 2-Michelle Alozie
14-Christy Ucheibe
6-Uchenna Kanu
80′ 22-Onyi Echegini
8-Ifeoma Onumonu
SUBSTITUTES
23-Yewande Balogun
9-Ijeoma Okoronkwo
13-Ngozi Okobi
11-Esther Ogbonna
17-Francisca Ordega
*Canada Startlist:*
No. Name
1-Stephanie Labbe
45′ ; 18-Kailen Sheridan
14-Vanessa Gilles 72′; 3-Kadeisha Buchanan
8-Jayde Riviere
45′ ; 9-Adriana Leon
10-Ashley Lawrence
17-Jessie Fleming 51′ goal
5-Quinn
79′ ;20-Sophie Schmidt
11-Desiree Scott
45′ ;7-Julia Grosso
12-Christine Sinclair (Captain)
REFEREE: Lizzet Amairany García Olvera
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