By Mark Ogagan
Nigeria’s senior female national team, the Super Falcons held Portugal women to a goalless draw in an international friendly game in Lisbon on Monday.
The match forms part of Nigeria’s preparations for next month’s Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) holding in Morocco.
Falcons goalkeeper, Chiamaka Nnadozie posted a memorable performance with excellent saves that kept Nigeria in the game.
The nine-time African champions, aspiring boldly for a 10th title, only arrived in Portugal less than 24 hours before the encounter, but advertised no signs of fatigue or lassitude as they stood up to the Portuguese in a game that indicated readiness to battle for the continental crown in Morocco.
Portugal almost grabbed an early lead when a back pass by Christy Ucheibe allowed Diana Silva sight of the Nigeria goal, but Nnadozie parried the ball away from goal.
In the 9th minute, Nnadozie plucked the ball off the air from a pull-out, and at the other end, the fabulous Francisca Ordega cut into the box and found captain Rasheedat Ajibade, whose smart turn and shot nearly wrong-footed goalkeeper Ines Pereira.
Nnadozie pulled off another epic save in the 24th minute, and as the home girls launched onslaught after onslaught, only Nnadozie’s heroics and stonewall defending by the Falcons kept the scoreline even. Just before half time, Nigeria could have taken the lead against the run of play, but Rinsola Babajide overhit the ball from an opportunity that presented itself after Ordega had been foiled with a last-ditch effort.
In the second stanza, Africa’s number one pulled off three world-class saves within a spate of four minutes, denying the dangerous Jessica Silva, Fatima Pinto and Andreia Norton.
The Nigeria contingent will depart from Lisbon for Casablanca on Wednesday, where they will take on Ghana’s Black Queens in another friendly match on Sunday.
Nigeria’s first match at the 13th Women Africa Cup of Nations comes up on Sunday, 6th July against Tunisia in Casablanca.
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