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By: Peter Akinbo
They went, they saw, they finished with their heads held high.
Thats the story of the Super Falcons at the ongoing Women’s World Cup after they crashed out of the tournament on Monday following their 4-2 defeat on penalties England after an explosive 120 minutes of football failed to produce any goal at the Lang Park in Brisbane, Australia.
Former African champions Falcons were by far the better team despite a 2-4 penalty shoot-out defeat by England at the Round of 16 of the ninth Women’s World Cup finals on Monday.
The magnificent Africans stood toe-to-toe with the Three Lionesses, ranked 36 places above them, and should have scored in the first quarter-hour when England-based defender Ashley Plumptre rocked the sticks with a shot from 22 yards and then followed up with another that went narrowly wide.
Goalkeeper and on-field captain Chiamaka Nnadozie, defenders Michelle Alozie, Osinachi Ohale, Oluwatosin Demehin and Plumptre, midfielders Halimatu Ayinde, Christy Ucheibe and Toni Payne, and forwards Rasheedat Ajibade, Uchenna Kanu and Ifeoma Onumonu played with hearts of lionesses and subdued the European champions without stepping into fifth gear.
England thought they had a penalty kick as the first half wore on, but a review justifiably nullified it, and the Falcons then stepped up their game without fear or tremor.
The European champions were reduced to 10 women when star-girl Lauren James was red-carded minutes to the end of the encounter at Brisbane’s Lang Park, and the Falcons revved up the engine to make the advantage count.
Substitute Asisat Oshoala saw her shot from close range go straight into the hands of goalkeeper Mary Earps as the curtain began to wind down on extra time play.
Both teams missed their first kicks in the shoot-out, with Desire Oparanozie, who was playing her first minutes in the competition, dragging her effort too wide to the right of Earps.
Hardworking defender Michelle Alozie blasted her kick wide, and though Ajibade and Ucheibe made no mistake from the spot, the Three Lionesses also made no more mistakes and reached the quarter-finals, and will play the winners of the encounter between Colombia and Jamaica.
Meanwhile, Nigerians have congratulated the Falcons despite their elimination.
“I’m super super proud of you guys, you guys did your best. Congratulations to everyone of you for going out there to represent the country Nigeria and yourself. God bless you all,” Patience Are, a member of the Falcons that reached the quarter-finals of the tournament in 1999, said.
Social media influencer, Mr Bayo (@mrbayoa1) expressed displeasure with the result of the penalties, saying Falcons deserved to win.
“I fu*king hate penalties, England doesn’t deserve anything in this game and we should have won before it gets to penalties but nevertheless that was an absolutely incredible and resilience performance from the Super Falcons of Nigeria,” he wrote.
AY Musa, in a Facebook post, wrote, “They did amazingly well throughout the match…Penalties is a game of luck las las.”
Akinbola Patrick wrote, “They performed beyond what I was expecting. Kudos to you all ‘Girls.”
Daniel Enyuiche added, “Good outing from our ladies, very impressive displays during the course of the tournament… they should build on that.”