FIFA WWC: Super Falcons face Canada as Australia, New Zealand in good start
By Uzor Odigbo
Nigeria’s Super Falcons will begin their quest for world cup diadem early Friday morning (3:30 am) against Canada as Australia secured 1:0 victory against Ireland in the opening game of the tournament.
Falcons will attempt to break new grounds facing a difficult opponent in the opening game of the tournament.
A record-breaking crowd of enthusiastic fans, totaling 75,784, packed the stadium to witness the Australian Ladies lock horns with Ireland in what turned out to be a thrilling encounter.
The decisive moment came in the 51st minute when Australia’s Steph Catley converted a penalty after Hayley Raso was brought down inside the box.
There was also no shortage of relief from the majority of the crowd after the tournament co-hosts struggled to cope without the country’s all-time leading scorer Kerr, who will also miss the second game of Group B against Nigeria because of a calf injury.
Fans only learned of her absence about an hour before kick off, with the Chelsea striker sustaining the injury in practice on Wednesday. It is not certain she will be back to face Canada in the team’s last Group B game in Melbourne on July 31, with medical staff having to assess her recovery.
Without her leading the attack against Ireland, Australia appeared short of ideas