The Nigerian Super Falcons suffered a defeat in their Group C match against Spain by a score of 1-0 on Sunday evening.
This game marked the second appearance for both teams in the prestigious Paris 2024 Women’s Olympic Football tournament held in France.
Naturenex reports that the Nigerian women’s national football team are condemned to face Japan in their concluding match of the group stage, with the expectation of securing a favourable outcome in the remaining games to secure a position among the top contenders for qualification as one of the best losers in the football event of the ongoing Olympics in Paris.
The team’s inability to secure a goal from the numerous opportunities presented was evident, as they were outclassed by Spain’s Alexia Putellas, who scored directly from a free-kick in the final minutes of the match.
This pattern of defeat was reminiscent of their performance against Brazil in their initial match.
In the subsequent match between Brazil and Japan, Momoko Tanikawa of Japan delivered a remarkable 96th-minute goal, which, coupled with Japan’s two goals in the injury time, allowed them to come from behind and secure a 2-1 victory over Brazil in the Olympic women’s football tournament on Sunday.
Japan, the 2012 silver medalists, found themselves facing a second consecutive defeat in Group C, which would have placed them in a precarious position, potentially leading to their elimination in the first round after Brazil’s early lead in the second half.
However, the team’s fortunes were turned around when captain Saki Kumagai scored a 92nd-minute penalty, equalizing at the Parc des Princes in Paris. This was followed by Tanikawa’s extraordinary goal from a distance of 30 meters, which sailed over the goalkeeper and secured a victory for Japan.
This result has placed Japan and Brazil on an equal footing with three points each after two matches.
