Confederation of African Football (CAF) has described Chiamaka Nnadozie as the Super Falcons saviour in their opening game at the 2023 FIFA women’s World Cup.
In Friday’s Group B game in Melbourne, a resolute Falcons side held Olympic champions Canada to a goalless draw.
Nnadozie was brilliant for the Falcons as she made important saves in the one-side tie.
The 22-year-old then capped her superb performance with a 50th minute penalty save.
Praising the shot stopper for her heroics, CAF wrote on their women’s football Twitter handle:”Super Falcons‘ saviour!
“Chiamaka Nnadozie excelled in her nation’s World Cup opener with a saved penalty, a clean sheet, and a Player of the Match award! 👏“
Nnadozie will hope to help the Falcons overcome co-hosts Australia in their second Group B game on Thursday, July 27.
15 Comments
First clean sheet in 27 world cup matches for the Super Falcons. Let’s go…..
Keep your bogus lies of a fact!!!!
Read CAF’s full statement Oga and be well informed.
Sorry. 2019 Korea match was a clean sheet too. I thought it was Falconets. Sorry.
@Deo and @codex.Nice and precise analysis. But I do think that Ordega does not have the legs and tank for the kind of role she was asked to play.She played more like a wing back, Falling deep to defend and help Alozie,That limited her attacking effectiveness besides she is no longer a spring chicken.
A midfield role is a trend that older footballers who were once wingers take up and it helps in creating rotations to further maximize the team’s strengths(e.g Central midfield moving to the touchline to cover and support,less distance covered) is a role Waldrum should’ve considered for the likes of Ordega way back,it helps the player and team respectively.Thanks btw
So true, Nnadozie was colossal for Nigeria yesterday. That penalty save was as emphatic as it was monumental.
Kudos to Waldrum. His 4-2-3-1 formation helped to shield the team’s defence with No-nonsense Abiodun and Ucheibe delivering the goods across several defensive levels.
Alozie and Plumptre overlapped when required however Alozie found a bit more success with her pullouts and interaction with Ordega. The long ball from deep that Plumptre delivered to Oshoala caught the eye as it almost led to a goal after the Canadian goalkeeper was caught off the beaten track.
The combo of Demehin-Ohale will need time to gel but they combined well to spare each others blushes.
I got a sense that Okoronkwo’s more measured demeanour, close control and eye for innocuous short range passes could have made her better suited for the attacking midfield role that Payne occupied. I think Payne was wasted in that role as her penchant for moving at pace and delivering crosses are better suited elsewhere.
Oshoala will have to seek other ways to obtain service from the flanks as Onumonu would tend to come back in to shoot or deliver passes. Yesterday, Onumonu delivered 0 (zero) crosses whilst Ordega delivered 2. Even Alozie delivered like 2 crosses. Onumonu wants to score and she has the technical abilities to stun goalkeepers at this stage. That will come at a price of limiting the services available to Oshoala if Waldrum continues with this arrangement.
Also, Onumonu tends to tire but Waldrum always seems reluctant to replace her.
Offensively, Ordega is no longer the force of nature she used to be. But her ability to read the game and the package she brings to the table as a team player are otherworldly. It shows that if you look after yourself and take your craft seriously, age will be nothing but a number.
Uchenna Kanu is star and she will play a powerful role off the bench for the team in this tournament. Within minutes of coming in, she was drawing a dangerous foul while lubricating the left wing with nifty passes and fluid movements.
Players like Gift Monday, Halimat Ayinde and Rasheedat Ajibade are still waiting to be unleashed whilst it will be interesting to see whether Oparanozie can dial back the years like Ordega to show that she had evolved.
At times, when defending, the Super Falcons’ shape resembles a 4-1-4-1 Formation. This was problematic at times as Canada – particularly in the second half – almost exploited the gap between the back 4 and the solo defensive midfielder.
For all their brilliance, wayward passes at the back and a momentary lack of positional disciple almost cost the Super Falcons. Teams like England, Spain or the United States of America will make them pay for such ineptitudes.
Good luck to the team and thanks for a thoroughly enjoyable game.
Disclaimer: this write up could contain some grammatical errors as there was no time to sense check or edit it.
Cheers.
Thumbs up, man. I didn’t watch the game but you just fired up my imagination and replayed a good part of the match here. Nice analysis.
Thanks Kel. Please watch the next match.
You have just x-rayed all that transpired during the game…well articulated ..weldone sir. ..
Thanks Tod_
Excellent write up once again from @deo yeah the off the ball shape was a 4-1-4-1 which is ucheibe pushing up to join Toni Payne in attacking midfield but it wasn’t compact enough and Canada at times found space in between the defensive and midfield lines which left Debbie Abiodun with much to do.
Also your right about the onumonu /oshoala combo it’s too similar but in order to accommodate 2 strikers the formation should either be a 4-4-2 or 3-5-2.
I thought that Payne will move to the left and onumonu will occupy the AM/SS role but it wasn’t to be which led to disjointed displays in attack at times.
The backline should be given clearer roles like ohale and plumptre have good passing range while demehin has more energy and spatial awareness and as such the team should use these individual qualities to full effect, it’ll help in the issues we have in the build up phases of games.
Finally I do strongly believe that the team’s best formation is close to a 4-4-2 diamond or a 4-2-2-2 even our average positions in the match was something between both formations so Randy has to find the right players and the right formation that’ll maximize our strengths and minimize our weaknesses fast cos there’s no time to experiment on who should play where which I felt happened today all thanks to the NFF and their lack of creativity in handling the team’s preparation for this tournament.
Thanks Codex. You have said it all.
Why was oparanozie not on the team list today? Is she nursing an injury?
Good question, @FELIX OBUSOH . I think the coach doesn’t believe in Oparanozie that much. Oparanozie is way ahead of Asisat Oshoala and Onumonu in terms of experience and accuracy in front of goal. No doubt about that, everybody knows.
More so, if we have to go far in this tournament, coach Waldrum has to have a bold step. He has to put Odega on the bench like Onome Ebi. Ebi and Odega can play 2 to 3 minutes in every match. If they have to play at all. Echiegini, Kanu, Oparanozie, and Gift Monday have to start the match against the Australia.
This is a hard decision to make, but if we want a result, the coach has to make his selections and tactics right.
Asisat needs some rest. She can come into the match in the second half. The same thing applies to Omumonu. It seems like Onumonu is untouchable, but this is a World Cup where opportunities come once, and if you don’t take your chances, you are gone.
By doing this, Oparanozie and Gift Monday services are badly needed against Australia if we have to win the match.
I believe Ayinde and Ajibade will play a big role on Thursday.
But my worries are the coach Waldrum selections and indiscipline of our players. Deborah’s indiscipline couses her the red card which she deserved. Same thing Ayinde and Ajibade did against Morocco, and they got sent off. I think by now, our players, both male and female, should have known better.
Nonetheless, Super Falcons could do better. If we can’t beat Canada, I don’t think we can beat the likes of Brazil, Germany, Spain, and many top teams in this tournament.
I believe the match against Canada could have been won if the gaffer chose the right players and made his substitutions early as the Canadian coach did.
If the new commer Haiti could play against the English team and stood their ground while Jamaica showed France they were not in the tournament to make a numbers then coach Waldrum and his troops have to step up their game.
I say things the way I see it, and I am not that happy with the coach Waldrum late subs.
Also, the coach should react when the referee makes biased calls. The tackle on Ohale was a clear red card but no reactions from the Super Falcons players and the coach.
Football is beyond we a strong team. We have to wake up to the reality Nigerians.
I am happy that we did not lose our first match, but going forward, we have to attack as a unit, and at the same time, defend ourselves as a unit. If we can achieve this, then by God’s grace, we will go far in this tournament. Good luck to our Super Falcons. God bless us all. God bless Africa. Ire o. God bless Nigeria!!!