Nigeria’s Super Falcons suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat to Brazil in their opening match of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, despite a dominant performance in the first quarter of the game.
The Super Falcons, led by skipper Rasheedat Ajibade, started the match with attacking intent. Ajibade’s dynamic runs posed a constant threat to Brazil’s defense. She delivered a precise cross to Ihezuo, whose effort was expertly saved by the Brazilian goalkeeper. Moments later, Christy Ucheibe unleashed a powerful shot from outside the penalty area, but the Brazilian keeper was again equal to the task, pushing the shot away to safety.
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In the 35th minute, Brazil seemed to have taken the lead when the legendary Marta scored from close range. However, the goal was ruled out by VAR for offside in the build-up, much to the relief of the Nigerian team. Shortly after, Brazil capitalized on their chance when Gabi Nunes fired a powerful shot past Nigeria’s goalkeeper, Chiamaka Nnadozie. Nunes’ strike, which came just before halftime, proved to be the only goal of the match.
The second half saw Nigeria continue to press for an equalizer. Christy Ucheibe and Rasheedat Ajibade both had chances to level the score, but their efforts were either blocked or missed the target. Despite their best efforts, the Super Falcons were unable to break through Brazil’s defense.
The match ended with Brazil securing a 1-0 victory, marking a challenging start for Nigeria in Group C of the Olympics. The Super Falcons will now turn their focus to their next group stage match against Spain on July 28th, followed by a clash with Japan on July 31st, as they seek to rebound and advance in the tournament.
