Izuchukwu OkosiNigeria’s Super Falcons on Friday morning (Nigerian time), held Canada to a goalless draw in their first Group B game of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
Prime Business Africa’s Izuchukwu Okosi presents the players ratings after 90 minutes of action at the Melbourne Rectangular stadium.
Chiamaka Nnadozie
The stand-in captain in the absence of Onome Ebi is proving to be one of the best goalkeepers of her era and should be in the equation for the next African Footballer of The Year prize.
The FC Paris star saved from the penalty spot, stopping Christine Sinclair from putting the Olympic champions, Canada, ahead early in the second half. 8.5/10.
Mitchelle Alozie
Alozie was stout in defending and was a foray going forward, sometimes combining with Francesca Ordega on the right side of attack.
Alozie even had a goal bound shot saved. 7/10.
Osinachi Ohale
The central defensive partnership saw Osinachi Ohale playing alongside Esther Demehin.
The more experienced Ohale has proven to be ageless and was never overan by the nippy Canadians.
Her clearances, blocked shots and tackles were impeccable. She even had a goal bound header cleared off the goal line. 8/10.
Esther Demehin
The former youth international plays with a maturity that belies her young age.
The FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand is her debut appearance at the senior World Cup and one of the star players of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in 2022 coped well with the pressure that comes with facing big teams. 7/10.
Ashleigh Plumptre
Former Leicester City defender Plumptre was deployed at left back and she was calm and collected despite the position not being her primary role.
The ‘oyibo’ who was born in the UK but whose great grandfather is of the Yoruba tribe in South western Nigeria was disciplined in defending and also went up and down the channels.
There was however a time pressure got the better of her and she could not deliver a simple throw-in as the Canadians pressed the Falcons. 7/10.
Deborah Abiodun
Great debut from the young defensive midfielder who regrettably was sent off after a second yellow card as the game petered away.
Abiodun’s defensive nous was imperious but the red card now rules her out of the game against Australia next week Thursday.
Hopefully, she will however learn from that experience . 6.5/10.
Christy Ucheibe
The creative midfield responsibility was handed to the Benfica star in the absence of the suspended Rasheedat Ajibade – and Ngozi Okobi- who was not named in the Super Falcons World Cup squad.
Ucheibe’s progressive carries from midifeld was impressive but her final balls were largely frustrating as she attempted long range strikes and passes that were mostly off target. 7/10.
Francesca Ordega
This was one of the games that Francesca Ordega will love to forget as she was really below average for the Falcons.
She gave away a penalty in the second half that Canada thankfully failed to score from. Ordega’s passes were also not top notch.
But it’s encouraging that she was in defence to help in defending. 5.5/10.
Toni Payne
Toni Payne played on the right side of attack.
Payne was the glue that held the midifeld and attack together as she sometimes inverted infield.
An encouraging performance but the jury is still out on her best position for the team. 7/10.
Ifeoma Onumonu
Striker Ifeoma Onumonu was very impressive in the game and had some decent chances to score.
Onumonu was substituted in the second half but she made her mark and deserved a goal. 7/10.
Asisat Oshoala
Was lucky to continue playing after a foul on her in the first half.
Oshoala was isolated most times in attack but also had a few chances. 6.5/10.
The Substitutes
Uchenna Kanu
The team’s attack had some urgency when Uchenna Kanu came off the subs bench.
Her pace adm trickery caused the Canadians all sorts of problems at the back. Perhaps should have stsrtdx or even started from kick off. 6/10.
Esther Okoronkwo
Okoronkwo was brought on late on and helped ticking things over. A good player but didn’t have sufficient time to show her mettle on this occasion. 4/10.
Jennifer Echegini
A late sub in the game but one who didn’t have enough time to also show what she can offer on this contest. 3/10.
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
In October 2004, Okosi joined Complete Communications Limited, publishers of Complete Sports newspaper and Complete Football magazine as a reporter and later script writer for the Complete Sports studio.
He worked there for 13 years until October 2017.
Okosi also worked various times as Correspondent, Content creator and Editor at Sports Market International Magazine, Opera News, All Nigeria Soccer Media and Iconic Media Watch.
He also undertook freelance writing gigs for some local and international organizations.
Okosi is a member of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Association of Movie Producers (AMP), Association of Voiceover Artistes of Nigeria (AVOA), Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) and Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).
He has been part of cast in some Nollywood movies and radio dramas including Blood Money 2, Scores To Settle, Dead End 2, Another Campus Tale and Battle Line.
Aside mainstream media and the entertainment industry, he has interests in scouting/unearthing of talents in the sports and creative sectors, exports business and property development.
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