Nine-time African champions, Nigeria’s Super Falcons, suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat to Spain in their second Group C match at the Paris 2024 Women’s Olympic football tournament in Nantes on Sunday.
The defeat leaves the Super Falcons at the bottom of the table with no points, following their 1-0 loss to Brazil in the opening match.
The lone goal came in the 85th minute from a well-placed free kick by Spanish and Barcelona Femeni midfielder Alexia Putellas.
La Roja have cemented their place in the quarter-finals of the tournament, with a match remaining against Brazil on Wednesday.
Despite the loss, the Super Falcons displayed commendable defensive resilience, holding off the world champions for most of the game.
Super Falcons captain Rasheedat Ajibade missed a golden opportunity in the first half, while substitute Chinwendu Ihezuo squandered a late chance to equalize.
Nigeria had their moments of attacking threat. Esther Okoronkwo forced a save with a powerful shot in the 23rd minute, and Ajibade came close again in the 65th minute. Asisat Oshoala also had a chance to score but opted for a pass when a shot might have been the better choice.
Spain dominated possession throughout the match, but Nigerian goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie made several impressive saves to keep her team in the game. Salma Paralluelo thought she had scored for Spain in the second half, but the goal was ruled offside.
The defeat leaves the Super Falcons needing a must-win against Japan in their next match on Wednesday to have any hope of progressing to the knockout stages of the Paris 2024 Women’s Olympic football tournament
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