22nd June, 2019
By Kazeem Ugbodaga
Currently enjoying a 15-game unbeaten run that includes ten clean sheets, and just one game where they failed to find the net, two-time World Cup winners Germany have won each of their three group stage games without conceding a single goal.
Conceding an average of just 0.53 goals per fixture across that run, Germany have scored the opening goal in each of their 13 wins. Interestingly, however, the German girls’ have conceded first in each of their last three losses, with the opening goal coming in the first 20 minutes of the game on each occasion.
Germany conceded just four shots on target in their three World Cup group stage fixtures (1.33 per game on average).
On the other hand, Nigeria’s Super Falcons have qualified for the World Cup knockout stage for just the second time in history despite winning just one of their three group stage fixtures. Both losses were ‘to nil’ meaning they have now failed to score in each of their last eleven losses at a World Cup finals.
Nigeria’s results will not inspire confidence in their fans. The ‘Super Falcons’ have lost each of the two World Cup meetings with Germany, conceding five goals and failing to score on both occasions. In addition, the Nigerians haven’t won a game (inc. friendlies) against a team currently ranked in FIFA’s top 20 since July 2011.
Ten of Nigeria’s last eleven games at the WC finals have seen only one side score (W2, D1, L8).
This placed a big burden on the Super Falcons to surmount the German women machine as both sides clashed today in the Round of 16 in France. The German side are ruthless, discipline, well organised at the back and hardly concede.
To beat the Germans, the Super Falcons must be well organised, no room for carelessness. In the match against Norway, the Falcons were careless and allowed them to operate unhindered. The Germans must not be allowed to operate unhindered, the Nigerian girls must opt their games.
Giving the German much space to operate will be the undoing of the Falcons. They must close up the space and mark them closely. The Falcons must go for every ball more than they did against France.
The defence must be extremely alert to curtail the rampaging German attacks. The Falcons must ensure they concede less corner kicks as the Germans have proven they can score from such balls.
The German have an organised defence, but the defence is vulnerable to pacy strikers. Nigerians must deploy pacy attackers to unlock and unsettle the German defence, that is their only weak point. The Falcons must take their chances, no room for wastage. With luck, they can scale through.
The player to watch in the German side is Sara Däbritz, who has scored three goals in her last five games for club and country, all of which have arrived in the first half.
The Nigerian side have Asisat Oshoala, who has three international goals to her name this year, all as her team’s first scorer. Oshoala wastes lots of chances to convert goals. This must not happen today as she must be clinical.
On paper and on the lips of everybody, the Germans have the day, but they are beatable, the Falcons must show guts, determination and resilience, employing their physicality to overwhelm the German machine.