Super Falcons advance to Round of 16 at Women’s World Cup

Super Falcons advance to Round of 16 at Women’s World Cup
Credit: Icon Sport

All eyes were on the Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane as the Nigeria Super Falcons took on the Republic of Ireland in their last match of the FIFA Women's World Cup group stage.

This was an important match for Randy Waldrum's side, as they could qualify or lose out on a place in the knockout stages of this competition, depending on the outcome of the Group B matches.

Goalless after 90 minutes

It's important to point out that the Super Falcons were leading the group standings ahead of this match; as they had amassed four points in their first two group games. Although they were tied on points and goal difference with Canada, Nigeria were ahead on total goals scored. That said, the Super Falcons knew that they would guarantee a place in the knockout stages with a draw, while a win could ensure they finished as group leaders.

Read More: Social media reacts as Super Falcons advance

Waldrum adopted a defensive approach at the start of this match, with the Super Falcons being wary of their opponents. Although Asisat Oshoala had a golden opportunity to open the scoring early on, the first half turned out to be fruitless.

It may interest you to know that Nigeria registered three total shots in the first half, and none of those went on target.

The Super Falcons picked up some speed in the second half, dominating their opponents on almost all fronts; they allowed just two second-half shots, and none of those were on target. On the other hand, Randy Waldrum's side registered eight shots in the second half alone; they also hit the woodwork once.

Despite their best efforts, both defences prevailed on Monday, with the match ending goalless after 90 minutes. The Super Falcons became the first African team to avoid defeat in the group stages of the FIFA Women's World Cup.

What this result means for the Super Falcons

Despite their goalless draw at the Suncorp Stadium, the Super Falcons booked a place in the Round of 16 of the FIFA Women's World Cup. This is partly because Canada suffered a humiliating 4-0 loss at the hands of Australia. With that in mind, Nigeria finished second on the Group B table, a point behind co-hosts Australia and a point ahead of Canada. Meanwhile today's opponents find themselves at the bottom of the group table with just one point.

Being the second-placed team in Group B, the Super Falcons will go up against the leaders of Group D in the next round. Although their next opponents have not been decided at the time of writing, they will most likely meet England in the Round of 16, with Denmark and China also battling for the top spot in Group D.

This article was most recently revised and updated 1 year ago

Kelechi Udoka
Kelechi is a huge sports fan with over 10 years of betting experience. He has written thousands of match previews on football, tennis, basketball and American football in the past few years. Kelechi has worked with a few reputable brands like Afrik-Foot, Football Whispers, What Are The Odds and Pundit Feed.
TOP STORIES