Football

What’s next for Super Falcons in Women World Cup 2019: Sunday Oliseh reacts

Published

5 years ago

June 18, 2019

Olu Emmanuel

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By Ediale Kingsley

France muddled their way to a third win at the World Cup to confirm their place at the top of Group A, all thanks to a questionable penalty decision in the match against Nigeria.

Sunday Oliseh, Ex Super Eagles International and manager, expressed his disapoinment but congratulated the Super Falcons for their ability to give France a fight. He said, “I am extremely proud of our Super Falcons of Nigeria against France at the World Cup. These girls gave it everything against a French side cheered on by a near full stadium and a doubtful retaken penalty. I am sad, disappointed, but proud of these girls”.

In a far from convincing 1-0 victory, Wendie Renard followed up her own-goal in the match against Norway by missing a penalty on Monday night. Like in the Norway tie though lucky was on her side, as the Nigeria goalkeeper was deemed to come off her line early, and Renard awarded a second chance to seal France the win.

Nigeria managed to make the first half a physical battle and kept France largely quiet.

With France guaranteed a place in the knock-outs, Corinne Diacre made four changes, including omitting Le Sommer and introducing Viviane Asseyi in her World Cup debut. The changes disrupted France’s play completely – Asseyi a weak link in a team that on the whole put on a disjointed performance.

Along with their opponents, France were unable to get a single shot on target in the first hour, their opportunities mainly arising from set plays as poor final passes and finishing plagued their attack.

Ngozi Ebere’s tackle on Asseyi in the box was deemed illegal upon VAR consultation and the Nigerian defender given her second yellow card and a penalty awarded. However, Renard’s spot-kick whizzed wide, clipping the post on its way out of play.

In a cruel twist of fate for the Nigerians though, goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie was harshly deemed to have come off her line early. This second opportunity French veteran Renard would not miss, thumping it into the top right corner on the 79th minute mark, her look to the sky in prayer afterwards a show of her relief.

Elsewhere in the group Norway guaranteed their second-place finish with a 2-1 win over South Korea, leaving Nigeria ranked third of the third-placed teams, with the rest of the group stages to sit through. Nigeria’s head coach Thomas Dennerby summed up his thoughts on the penalty afterwards: “Honestly, if I gave you honest opinions they would probably send me home.”

As Nigerians reacts to the unpleasing situation. There are lessons to be learnt.

Chances are very tight. But the girls will sit tight to know their fate in 2 days time. They could still progress as best loser. 4 best losers are required. Currently we rank 3rd best.

As a football loving nation we must always never forget that football, unfair as it could always possibly play out, mostly favors the best side.

There will always be the stories of The Hand Of God. And other sad emotional miss ups that becomes talking points but it will most times favor the best teams.

At the end of the day a side that has already qualified got a win. And the other side that could do with a draw lost the game. This is the only take home fact that matters. Not the matter of ‘being robbed’.

Who could rob Spain at South Africa 2010 World Cup? Who could rob Liverpool in the 2019 UCL? Who could rob Barca in the global dominations era of Pep and Tikitaka? Who could rob Nigeria’s Soccer Dream Team at Olympics 1986?

No Referee born of a woman or science can defeat any football team that’s gloriously the best. We fail first at being the best, before any robbery.

We were pressured into being a victim of circumstance. If we had beaten Norway and South Korea, we would not allow our number 10 become a defensive midfielder against France. And that would have given our attacking moves support and distribution.

Even at 0-1 down. We still had 4 players defending. A time we should only have two players at the back — one being the goalie and the other the central defender.

And let’s stop pretending. We don’t love to win the World Cup. If we really do, our local stadia would tell the stories. Our women league will resemble a professional league. It will have a solid place in our daily 10’O Clock news.

Funny how we only remember football in important tournaments. We are a mad people. Sorry, only madness would expect miracles to dominate the frequency of realities.

No African nation will win the World Cup by miracle. No nation anywhere on the map will win the World Cup with a stupid local league system.

And yes, the officiating was slightly unfair to the Super Falcons. And yes, football is unfair mostly to the lesser teams.