Agencies
Brisbane
Australia fell to a 3-2 defeat against Nigeria in Group B of the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023 at the Brisbane Rectangular Stadium on Thursday.
Uchenna Kanu cancelled out Emily van Egmond’s opener in the first half before Nigeria stunned the home side in the second half with goals from Osinachi Ohale and Asisat Oshoala with Alanna Kennedy scoring a late consolation for Australia.
The result means Australia must defeat Canada on Monday to advance with Nigeria playing the Republic of Ireland. Nigeria and Canada are on four points with Australia one behind.
Australia went into the tie knowing a win would seal them a knockout stage spot and threatened in the opening minute with Steph Catley whipping in a dangerous ball in off a corner but the Nigeria backline stayed calm under pressure before Caitlin Foord angled her header wide off Katrina Gorry’s cross.
Nigeria, who held Olympic champions Canada to a goalless draw in their opening tie, almost caught Australia by surprise twice, first in the eighth minute when Ifeoma Onumonu’s cross from the right flank just failed to find the mark before Kanu wasted another chance from the left, sending the ball off target.
Backed by a partisan crowd, Australia almost broke the deadlock in the 13th minute when Gorry’s cutback found Catley, who charged into the six-yard-box before forcing Nigeria keeper Chiamaka Nnadozie to deflect the ball for a corner.
Both teams continued to play in patches with Kanu slipping inside the box when she collected a beautiful through ball from Christy Ucheibe, while Foord could only manage to hit her curling effort wide before Hayley Raso wasted a close range effort off a corner.
Nigeria almost went ahead in the 41st minute when Ucheibe’s half volley off a corner was redirected by Ashleigh Plumptre’s backheel onto the left post.
Australia’s persistence finally paid off in the first minute of added time when Gorry intercepted a poor clearance from Nnadozie before feeding Foord, who slipped the ball through for van Egmond to score.
Australia’s celebrations, however, were short-lived as Nigeria found their way back into the game when they caught the hosts off guard four minutes later when Rasheedat Ajibade charged down the left flank before her intended shot was deflected into the path of Kanu to stab home the equaliser.
Both teams continued to press in the second half but it was Nigeria who scored in the 65th minute when Osinachi Ohale struck with a header after Mackenzie Arnold’s save was deflected into the path of the surging defender at the near post.
Australia struggled to find their footing and fell further behind two minutes later when Ohale set up Asisat Oshoala nicely on the right flank with the forward then powering past her marker before scoring from an acute angle past Arnold.
A stung Australia surged forward to salvage the game with Kennedy scoring with a header in the 10th minute of added time off a corner but it was to be a mere consolation as Nigeria held on for a famous win.
