[1/6]Football Soccer – FIFA Ladies’s International Cup Australia and New Zealand 2023 – Crew B – Republic of Eire v Nigeria – Brisbane Soccer Stadium, Brisbane, Australia – July 31, 2023 Nigeria’s Toni Payne in motion with Republic of Eire’s Denise O’Sullivan REUTERS/Dan Peled
BRISBANE, July 31 (Reuters) – Nigeria complicated to the Ladies’s International Cup knockout levels for the 3rd time of their historical past after a 0-0 draw with Eire of their last Crew B fit on Monday, with the African aspect completing 2nd within the staff in the back of hosts Australia.
Nigeria began the sport best of the standings and best had to steer clear of defeat to achieve the final 16, without reference to the outcome within the different Crew B fit in Melbourne the place Australia thrashed Canada 4-0 to leapfrog the Africans.
Nigeria must wait till Tuesday to find who their last-16 fighters can be subsequent week in Brisbane, however they aspect are more likely to play Ecu champions England who’re favourites to best Crew D.
“I don’t believe any one, ahead of we were given right here, believed that lets get out of this staff and undergo it with out dropping a fit,” Nigeria trainer Randy Waldrum stated.
“So I am so happy with them and the trouble they installed and so glad for them that they are attending to revel in this.”
Each groups had been taking part in of their away kits to steer clear of an all-green conflict. However Brisbane’s Lang Park used to be a sea of inexperienced within the stands, with quite a few beef up for Eire in spite of their early removing.
After Irish skipper Katie McCabe flashed an early effort broad, Nigeria got here closest to taking the lead within the first part via striker Asisat Oshoala after they pounced on an errant cross from Louise Quinn.
Oshoala used to be set via on objective with simply the keeper to overcome however the Barcelona striker fired broad to present Eire a reprieve.
TIMELY SAVE
Seven mins into the second one part, Uchenna Kanu rose above the Eire defence to direct a header on objective however Courtney Brosnan made a well timed save to parry the ball onto the crossbar and away to protection.
“It used to be a fantastic ball into the field, a kind of teasing ones I assumed I may come on the final 2nd. I dropped again and I knew I had to make a different save at the line, so I simply roughly threw my frame out,” stated Brosnan.
“I sought after to stay us in it. I knew we deserved one thing from these days, so I am in reality proud of that.”
Brosnan got here to Eire’s rescue once more when Nigeria tried to wreck throughout the defence with a suave set-piece regimen ahead of the Everton keeper rushed off her line to take hold of the ball.
Whilst debutants Eire pass house having earned their first ever level on the International Cup, Nigeria can be taking a look to higher their quarter-final run from 1999.
“We knew this used to be going to be the gang of dying, we knew it used to be going to be exhausting,” midfielder Toni Payne stated.
“If we play like how we are taking part in, if we reinforce on every recreation, I believe we will pass all of the solution to the overall.”
Reporting by means of Rohith Nair in Bengaluru;
Enhancing by means of Christian Radnedge and Ken Ferris
Our Requirements: The Thomson Reuters Believe Ideas.
