A 3-2 win for Nigeria over Australia at Brisbane Stadium came as a huge surprise to the Aussies.
Nigeria scored two goals in eight second-half minutes to secure a famous victory and rise to top place in Group B. This was made possible by Australia’s sloppy and slow offence and defensive blunders.
Caitlin Foord and Steph Catley, filling in for Sam Kerr and Mary Fowler, had solid opportunities for Australia in the first half, testing goalkeeper Nnandozie; Australia took the lead right before halftime when Fowler’s replacement, Emily van Egmond, scored.
Uchenna Kanu of Nigeria tied the game with the final kick of the half, and Osinachi Ohale of Nigeria scored a heroic goal with a header in the 65th minute.
The crowd of 49,000 was startled into silence when star substitute Asisat Oshoala scored on a tap-in after a defensive blunder by Alanna Kennedy and Mackenzie Arnold.
Alex Chidiac didn’t enter the game until the 85th minute, but her presence helped spark some chances for Australia and ultimately led to a goal by Kennedy in the 10th minute of stoppage time.
The Matildas and Tony Gustavsson were put under enormous pressure to qualify, but it was too late as Nigeria secured a crucial victory.
There is still a chance for Nigeria, Canada, and Australia to advance to the next round. A win for the co-hosts against Canada is crucial if they want to advance.
Things get even more complex if Nigeria loses by a single goal and Australia draws.
When teams in a group have the same amount of points and goal differential, the team with the most goals scored during the group stage advances.
Both sides have scored three goals thus far in the competition. So, Nigeria would advance even if they lose a high-scoring game by a single goal and Australia draws 0-0. Similarly, the Matildas would advance if they earned a scoreless draw and Nigeria lost by a 1-0 margin.
If Canada earns a point, they will have five points and be in first place. But in this scenario, Nigeria would still be in first place in the group with a draw or a win over Ireland.
The Matildas’ season will be ended if they lose against Canada. Australia’s World Cup on home soil will conclude quickly, with the hosts being eliminated. With seven points, Canada would be one point ahead of Nigeria in the group, meaning that they may advance to the next round despite losing.
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