8th June, 2015
Super Falcons of Nigeria showed they are ready to compete at the biggest stage and against the biggest sides after they forced Sweden to a 3-3 draw in their opening group match at the Women’s World Cup taking place in Canada.
Sweden recorded the first goal on the 21st minute at the Winnipeg Stadium, Winnipeg via an own goal by Nigerian striker, Desire Oparanozie, who deflected a somewhat harmless header by Swedish player, Emma Berglund, into the Nigeria net. The ball had come to Berglund from a corner kick.
Sweden’s Nilla Fischer increased the tally 10 minutes after, again via sloppy defending by the Nigerians, after the Swedes took another corner kick. Nilla Fischer was able to tap in to an empty net after the ball made its way through the crowd.
Nigeria’s forward line refused to go quiet, however, and just after the break two goals in quick succession levelled matters. Ngozi Okobi’s brilliant first touch afforded the No 13 plenty of room and space before coolly firing past Hedvig Lindah.
Three minutes later, Asisat Oshoala, the golden shoe winner at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup Canada 2014 opened her account for this tournament with a fine individual effort after a well-played long ball from Onome Ebi.
Sembrant handed the lead back to Sweden after good build-up play on the left side resulted in Lina Nilsson’s cross that the substitute managed to direct past Precious Dede with her thigh.
The pressure mounted by the Nigerians to share the points with Sweden finally paid off when midfielder Francisca Ordega collected a pass well inside the box from Oshoala and wasted no effort in slicing it through the legs of the Swedish keeper.
The Super Falcons, having never beaten Sweden on their three previous meetings, came out flying in the first few minutes and had the Swedes on the back foot for much of the first quarter of an hour.
However, Ordega salvaged a point for the Super Falcons three minutes from time with a shot that managed to slip through the legs of Lindahl, leaving matters level at 3-3.
Nigeria had never beaten Sweden in their past three encounters and today’s result was a good one, in comparison.
At the end of the game, FIFA’s Technical Study Group (TSG) named Nigerian forward, Ngozi Okobi, who scored Falcons’ first goal as Live Your Goals Player of the Match.