Super Falcons captain, Chaimaka Nnandozie, has played down her penalty heroics in the wake of the team’s Women’s World Cup opener goalless draw against reigning Olympic champions on Friday – a result leaving Group B wide open, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
Nnadozie saved a penalty in the 50th minute at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium, denying Christine Sinclair from the spot with a low dive to her left as the Canada skipper missed out on becoming the first player to score in six World Cups as well as the oldest goal scorer in the tournament history in the encounter.
“It was a great thing that we were able to at least get something and it was a dream come true for me personally,” Nnadozie said.
“When she took the ball, I was like, ‘Okay, it’s Sinclair again’, because the last time we played against them, she scored against me. I was very angry, and I told myself, this is the opportunity to make things right.”
The Paris FC goalkeeper also dedicated her Player of the match award to the girl child.
“Dear girl child, dreams come true,” she posted on Twitter after the game.
Super Falcons coach, Randy Waldrum also spoke highly of the goalkeeper during his post-match interview.
“Chiamaka has done this before and I will say this and I will embarrass her in front of you all, but I think she’s one of the best young goalkeepers in the world right now,” Waldrum said after the game.
“It was a great thing that we were able to at least get something and it was a dream come true for me personally,” Nnadozie said.
“When she took the ball, I was like, ‘Okay, it’s Sinclair again’, because the last time we played against them, she scored against me. I was very angry, and I told myself, this is the opportunity to make things right.”
The Paris FC goalkeeper also dedicated her player of the match award to the girl child.
“Dear girl child, dreams come true,” she posted on Twitter after the game.
Super Falcons coach, Randy Waldrum also spoke highly of the goalkeeper during his post-match interview.
“Chiamaka has done this before and I will say this and I will embarrass her in front of you all, but I think she’s one of the best young goalkeepers in the world right now,” Waldrum said after the game.
Having scaled the first hurdle in the group, Nnadozie and her teammates will turn their attention to their next two games as they look to advance at the World Cup. To make it out of the group, the Falcons must win their next two games in order to be sure of a place in the round of 16.
Since making her Falcons debut in 2018, Nnadozie has been famous for being good at penalties and she showed that at the 2019 Women’s World Cup when Wendy Renard had to go twice against her from the spot before securing a 1-0 win for France in their last group game.
In 2019, she also became the youngest goalkeeper to keep a clean sheet at the World Cup after Nigeria’s 2-0 win over South Korea.
A goalless draw in their first game of the FIFA Women’s World Cup would have passed as underwhelming for Nigeria, but for Nnadozie’s heroics, to having teenage revelation sent off in the closing stages and getting a draw against a team ranked 33 places above them in the FIFA rankings, the Super Falcons have a reason to be proud ahead of their next two group games against co-hosts Australia on July 27 and the Republic of Ireland on July 31.
