₦airaland Forum

We are frustrating the living day out of these Germans. They probably expected South Africa type of organisation.

Dennerby has really tried with organisation. See how many set pieces we deal with excellently. Germans running out of idea and diving for free kicks.

isan:
it is 442 ohale at left back nwabuoku as center back ihezuo partner oparanozie up front

haha bros. I doubt we will shift Ohale from centre back for anything. We shall see sha. Kick off about 40 mins.

Fifa's take on our formation today:

The big news out of Nigeria is the loss of superstar forward Asisat Oshoala, who has failed to recover from a late injury picked up against France. The absence of Oshoala, Ebere and Chikwelu has resulted in some big tactical decisions from Thomas Dennerby. The stable backline has been amended to include former captain Evelyn Nwabuoku, who comes into partner Onome Ebi, who is featuring in her 14th Women's World Cup game, an African record.



In the midfield, winger Uchenna Kanu gains her first Women’s World Cup start and forward Chinwendu Ihezuo comes in to partner captain Desire Oparanozie. 4-4-2 is a formation the Super Falcons are familiar with, but it is the first time they will use it in France. Will it prove successful?

Nwabuoku at the back as I expect. Kanu to play midfield? NO way. I think the Ihezuo is the joker today. Today is her day and I wont be surprised if she scores.

BascoVanVeli:
The joke was real ooo Ihezuo looks like the left back.

What I see in that line up is a 3-5-2 formation.

Ohale Ebi and Nwabuolu as the 3 at the back.
Okeke, Ayinde, Okobi, Ihezuo and Ordega as a packed midfield 5
Kanu and Oparacaptain upfront.

We should be able to frustrate the Germans at least in the middle.

Are the coaches reading this forum or what? Oshoala benched! She needed that. I am very sure Ihezuo wont be bullied. Pound for pound, she's the most powerful player on that team.

Oshoala fit to start...and looks like she starts..

BascoVanVeli:
I think Kanu will seize the moment and make the best of it but I wouldn't be surprised if the coach opts with Anam Imo on the grounds of set piece protecting thanks to her height. Ihezuo as the only lefty available may also stand a chance.


The lineup will be an important factor tomorrow

Personally, I really dont want Oshoala to start even if fit. Her attitude deserves her to sit on bench for a bit. I'll start Kanu in her position.

Daejoyoung:
we shouldn't be ranking less than Thailand, lol.

Haha quite funny actually. Thailand is 5 places above us. I'm not fumbling o, but Thailand will not qualify for quarter finals at AWCON. The way women football is ranked is actually cult like too. Top 10 teams get extra points when they play against each other. Also, as Africans only play AWCON once every 2 years, we could go a whole year without ranking. Thailand on the other hand could play Korea, China etc and hold their Team C to a draw, thus getting much ranking points.
After this world cup, I expect Nigeria to move up a few points and enter top 30 at least.

German reporter: Is Nigeria a world class team?
Dennerby: We're surely much better than the ranking suggests. We can beat any of the teams 10th to 20th and surely can fight top 10 teams.

From my experience, Nigerian honestly should be to 15 team.

Asisat Oshoala trained with the team today. No bandages or ankle protector. Omo Alhaja is good to go. Looks like the triple O upfront then. Only changes expected are Alice for Ebere and Ayinde for Chikwelu. Maybe Anam Imo will play for Ebere.

ykalhaji:
The Names of officials for NIG vs GER is out, Japanese Refs and and Aussie.

Oh good. Thank you!

A review of the refereeing performance for the group stage match for Nigeria vs Norway was interesting. This is from a referee assessment:

NORWAY vs NIGERIA (3-0)
Kate Jacewicz (AUS)
Danny Makkelie (VAR)

(+) 12.19 NGA 9 yellow card for illegal use of arm
(+) 21.10 NGA possible penalty situation for holding. Good play on and good No Intervention
(-) 40.40 NGA possible penalty situation.Referee decision was play on.There was a very clear contact after sliding tackle. It should be penalty and VAR intervention was needed.
(+) 44.17 NGA 17 yellow card for SPA

The only negative in the match was a clear penalty for Nigeria which was missed by both the ref and VAR ref.

I dont want to dwell more on Asisat vs Ebere because I believe it is nothing, or its best not to blow it open at this time.

Something interesting about the R16 matches is that it is a straight match up between Europe and the rest of the world. 8 Europeans vs 8 non Europeans. This will mean that some confederations will be against European referees for their matches. I mean, Brazil for example will not allow an European ref take its match against France.
Mumu Africa will not mind, because we have a super corrupt CAF that isnt interested in football, but money. About 24 hours to the match and the match officials are yet to be named for Germany vs Nigeria. I will prefer to have an Asian ref.
This is why its not good to favour one continent so much. Europe has had more than enough assistance to go through in this tournament. Now, ideally, no European ref should handle any match due to conflict of interest.

BascoVanVeli:
With a goal difference of plus 6

With Ďennerby?

ykalhaji:
It escalated to a need to fight too quickly, both of them had some serious unfinished business before that incident.

I like Oshoala as a player, but her attitude when playing nowadays actually stinks. Dont know why, but she's too complacent and casual.

Chilean coach left his players on the pitch and stormed off at full time. Poor dude.

Going forward, we need to play big grade A friendlies so we can enter top 15 in the world ranking, where we truly belong. Then we will have more chances of being in groups with Thailand and Chile.

ykalhaji:
I think the beef has been ongoing it doesn't seem like it just started over the water pouring. Those are the things Dennerby must have being managing. Lol.

Thats really toxic and I am ashamed of her as a professional. This is not the moment to pick up a fight.

Oshoala wanted to fight Ebere in the FIFA video. Is this Asisat OK at all? I'll decamp her tonight if I had the powers.
https://twitter.com/FIFAWWC_NGA/status/1141814135887413249

Our players hugging and crying. It has been an emotional beat down since Monday. These girls will never cry if heartbroken again. This experience would have toughened them beyond what the coach will expect. Press conference tomorrow and match on Saturday.

Nigeria vs Germany onf Saturday 22nd June at 4.30pm Nigerian time.

My early predictions of the Germany game... Germany will be frustrated and it may go to penalties.. Dennerby is the master of knock out phase draws. Not even sure he's won a knock out phase game without penalties since coming on board.
2 pen kicks at AWCON
2 pen kicks at WAFU.

With the new penalty rules, I will work more on our players hitting target than on goalie trying to save it. If we score all our pens, we will go through.

PDPGuy:
If we beat Germany, we will face either Sweden or Canada in the quarterfinals

hahahaha I like Nigerians. Already thinking ahead like Germany is Burkina Faso.

That penalty miss was the moment! A goalie that was ready to throw the ball into her own net but God didnt even allow the ball near her.

Phew...let us settle down and catch our breaths first before we start planning how we play Germany.

Congratulations people.

Congrats Folks. 7 mins off, ref is trolling us now.

We're home. 10 seconds and offside Chile.

50 seconds left. Ball in half of Chile.... 30 seconds now.

Goal kick. Hope this keeper for Thailand can just injure small. 1 min 20 seconds left.

Goalie catches. Throws it out immediately like a daft fool. Corner to Chile. 2 mins left. Keeper forward again.

Corner to Chile. 3 and half mins left. their keeper is there.

Goalie catches a goal bound shot. 4 mins left.

Thtow in to Thailand. 5 mins left.