Paris 2024: How Canarinhas Nune’s strike sank Super Falcons in Olympics Opener

By Harry Awurumibe, Africa’s No.1 Women Football Journalist

It was a game Nigeria was expected to win or at least, get a point from their opponents because of how tough the group is but Gabi Nunes’s 37th minute strike ensured the Canarinhas of Brazil ran away with a 1-0 win over the Super Falcons in the first match of Group C opener of Paris 2024 Women’s Football Tournament played at Metmut Atlantique stadium, Bordeaux.

The Nigerian team had started the match like a house on fire by taking the battle to the door steps of the Brazilians with Super Falcons captain Rasheedat Ajibade leading from the front but the initial forays did not yield any good results due to the inability of the players to convert chances.

Head coach Randy Waldrum had adopted the 4-2-3-1 formation to checkmate his Brazil’s opposite number Arthur José Ribas Elias who opted for 4-4-2 knowing that anything contrary to this would spell doom, this gave rise for the Selecaò to sit back and watch the Africans to show their true colours.

In this case, Brazil was on the back foot in the early stages of the match as Nigeria’s two layers of midfielders linked up play with sole striker Chinwendu Ihezuo who missed a big goalmouth chance that would have put the Falcons in front.

Other chances came the way of Nigeria in quick successions through midfielders Jennifer Echegini and Christy Ucheibe who tested Brazil’s goalkeeper Lorena on two occasions and it her agility to repel the dangers.

However, the Canarinhas who have endured the early raid later seized the initiative and turned the tide by using the wings where the legendary Marta operated effectively and against the run of play she scored although the goal was cancelled for an infringement.

But it did not take long before Marta found an advancing Nunes at edge of Nigeria’s vital area and she passed the ball to her, she collected it, shifting into the 18 yard-box, she fired ferocious shot to the roof of the goalpost which beat goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie hands down to give Brazil a 1-0 lead at half-time.

On resumption, Brazil came out to attack Nigeria more with Marta, Nunes, Gabi Portilho and Ludmila running rings around their opponents as Nigeria was pegged back most of the time and only relied on occasional counter-attack.

Perhaps, the pressure on the Falcons in the second half forced Waldrum to make an early like for like substitution by pulling out Chinwendu Ihezuo for Esther Okoronkwo in the 46th minute yet she did not click as expected.

Unable to find a pathway to get an equaliser, Waldrum replaced two offensive midfielders Toni Payne and Jennifer Echegini with two attackers Uchenna Kanu and Ifeoma Onumonu in the 67th minute just as Nicole Payne replaced
Chidinma Okeke in the 75th minute.

Yet, the four changes made by Nigeria’s coach
did not turn the match around as the Brazilians grinded out a hard fought 1-0 victory over the West Africans who now face more daunting task of facing the reigning World champions Spain on Sunday, July 28 at Stade de la Beaujoire in Nantes

SUPER FALCONS PARIS 2024 OLYMPICS FIXTURES:                                                                                                                                         *Nigeria 0 vs 1 Brazil Yesterday:
-Stade Bordeaux on 25th July 25
*Nigeria vs Spain- July 28
-Stade de la Beaujoire in Nantes
*Nigeria vs Japan July 31
Stade de la Beaujoire in Nantes.