Ifeoma Onumonu etched her name in history by scoring Nigeria’s first-ever goal against France in a friendly match on a chilly night in Angers. The Montpellier striker’s goal came in first-half stoppage time, capitalizing on a swift counterattack orchestrated by a precise through-ball from Gift Monday. However, her effort wasn’t enough to salvage a result for the Super Falcons.
Before Onumonu’s strike, France had already established dominance with goals from Eugenie Le Sommer and Amel Majri, showcasing their attacking prowess. These early setbacks left the nine-time African champions chasing the game, as they struggled to contain the home team, ranked 10th in the world by FIFA, compared to Nigeria’s 36th position. The Super Falcons’ defensive lapses and inability to close down France’s creative play proved costly.
Despite the scoreline, Nigeria’s captain and goalkeeper, Chiamaka Nnadozie, delivered a stellar performance, making several crucial saves to prevent the margin from growing. Her efforts, along with a more disciplined defensive display in the second half, ensured there were no additional goals in what turned out to be an engaging encounter.
The match wasn’t without drama, as defender Osinachi Ohale received a second yellow card in stoppage time, reducing the visitors to ten players.
Super Falcons Starting XI vs. France:
- Goalkeeper: Chiamaka Nnadozie
- Defenders: Rofiat Imuran, Michelle Alozie (Oladipo 73′), Osinachi Ohale, Ashleigh Plumptre
- Midfielders: Christy Ucheibe, Toni Payne (Omokwo 90′), Gift Monday (Babajide 73′), Jennifer Echegini (Yina 73′, later substituted by Josephine Mathias 90′)
- Forwards: Ifeoma Onumonu, Esther Nkor (replaced by Isah 46′)
Despite falling short, the match was a valuable test for the Super Falcons, underscoring their resilience and the areas needing improvement as they continue to challenge top-tier teams globally.
