For Nigeria’s Super Falcons, a narrow Women’s World Cup exit is the start of a journey, not the end

The close exit of Nigeria’s Super Falcons from the Women’s World Cup marks the beginning of a new chapter rather than the conclusion of their journey.

In the match against England, Nigeria had two opportunities to score that struck the crossbar during a game that ended in a goalless draw. The team’s elimination came after a loss in the penalty shootout against England.

By challenging the European champions and pushing them to the edge, the Super Falcons demonstrated once more that rankings in the new 32-team format of the tournament are secondary to the respect for opposing teams.

During the group phase, Nigeria secured a 0-0 tie with Olympic champion Canada, surprised co-host Australia with a 3-2 victory, and moved on to the knockout stage after a 0-0 draw against Ireland.

In the closely-fought match against England, a red card to England’s forward Lauren James for a foul on Nigeria’s Michelle Alozie became a focal point. However, the match was tense and could have swung either way.

Nigeria had several close chances, with Ashleigh Plumptre’s shots hitting the crossbar and Uchenna Kanu’s headers narrowly missing. Had any of these opportunities resulted in goals, Nigeria might have won their first knockout match in nine Women’s World Cup appearances, sending England home with other top-ranked teams.

Chiamaka Nnadozie, Nigeria’s goalkeeper and team leader, expressed optimism about the future, stating that the team would rest and return even stronger.

Despite some critics’ concerns over the expansion of the tournament leading to one-sided games, the World Cup proved competitive, with new teams like Morocco making their mark and Nigeria showing they could compete with the best.

Ranked 40th as of June, Nigeria’s players and coach Randy Waldrum never doubted their ability to compete at the top level.

Player Ashleigh Plumptre spoke of her connection to Nigeria and football as part of her life’s journey, expressing disappointment in the result but gratitude for the opportunity.

Plumptre, along with the rest of the team, set higher expectations for Nigeria’s future performances, asserting that they should be competing with and even defeating top-ranked teams.

American coach Randy Waldrum responded to his pre-tournament critics by guiding a team that almost made it to the last eight. He expressed his belief that Nigeria should be considered among the top teams in the world and praised the Super Falcons for their efforts.

He emphasized that the Nigerian players and supporters should be proud of their performance and expressed his hope that the country and the world would recognize their achievement.

The 2023 Women’s World Cup served as a platform for Nigeria to prove they can compete with the best, setting a higher standard for future competitions. The Super Falcons’ journey is far from over, and they are poised to return even stronger.

For more coverage on the AP Women’s World Cup, visit https://bigbignews.net/fifa-womens-world-cup.

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• FIFA Women’s World Cup Official Site
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• AP Women’s World Cup Coverage