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– Portugal and Nigeria played to a wild 3-3 draw in the
second match of the 2021 WNT Summer
Series as the Super Falcons battled from twice
two goal deficits to equalize in the waning
seconds.
The match featured Portugal scoring twice
inside the first 34 minutes, Nigeria pulling a
goal back just before halftime, Portugal once
again going up by two goals early in the
second half and then Nigeria fighting back for
two more goals.
Nigeria was coming off a 1-0 loss to Jamaica
on the first match day of the Summer Series
on June 10 while Portugal was coming off a
1-0 defeat to the USA, scores that did not
foreshadow the goal fest that was to come.
Nigeria is coached by American Randy
Waldrum, the former head coach for the
Houston Dash from 2014-2017, and his new
position (he was hired last October) took him
back to his old stomping grounds for his fourth
international match as head coach of the Super
Falcons.
Both teams had a quality chance early. In the
11 minute, Nigeria goalkeeper Tochukwu
Oluehi made a great one-on-one stop near the
top of the penalty box after a Portuguese
attacker had busted through.
In the 16 minute, Super Falcons star striker
Asisat Oshoala, fresh off winning the UEFA
Women’s Champions League with Barcelona,
but who did not arrive in Texas until yesterday,
got behind the defense on the right side with
her powerful strides before shooting wide left
of the goal.
Portugal scored first but not without a little
help from Nigeria. In the 22 minute,
defender Catarina Amado sprinted down the
right side on an excellent overlapping run and
bent a cross on the ground into the middle of
the penalty area. As Oluehi came out of her net
to try to cut off the service, which was hit with
good pace, defender Chidinma Okeke darted in
front of crashing Portugal forward Telma
Encarnação and inadvertently knocked the ball
into her own net while making a sliding
attempt to clear the ball away.
In the 30 minute a well-constructed Portugal
attack up the middle ended up with Encarnação
toe-poking the ball past Oluehi and into the net
as the Nigerian goalkeeper upended her, but
the goal was waved away for offside. Replays
show she was likely onside.
Portugal doubled its lead in the 34 minute
off a free kick from just outside the penalty
area on the right side. Midfielder Andreia
Jacinto crossed to the far post where Portugal
captain Carole Costa was left explicably wide
open and she volleyed home with authority
from a somewhat sharp angle inside the six-
yard box.
Portugal could easily have made it 3-0 in the
42 minute as Jessica Silva of Kansas City
NWSL got free in the penalty area for a one-on-
one chance. Oluehi came out to cut down the
angle and Silva rounded her to the right but
pushed the ball too far wide before shooting
into the side netting outside the right post.
That turned out to be a key miss in the match
as just before halftime, Nigeria pulled a goal
back off a short corner kick from the right side.
Former U.S. youth international Toni Payne took
the pass and dribbled into the penalty before
seeing her cross blocked. The ball bounced
back out to the right and directly to midfielder
Rita Chikwelu, who had taken the corner kick,
and she smashed a first-time cross back into
the middle. Forward Michelle Alozie, who plays
for the Houston Dash reserves, was positioned
directly in front of the net and did well to
knock the ball home from the doorstep on the
volley to cut the lead in half heading into the
break.
Portugal wasted no time restoring its two-goal
lead, but it came from a mistake in the back
by halftime substitute defender Salome Zogg.
Her poor clear attempt went straight to Jacinto
who then played Encarnação behind the
defense. She raced into the penalty area and
then deftly scooped the ball over the onrushing
Oluehi for a classy finish.
Four minutes later, Nigeria once again pulled to
within one, this time on a Portugal own goal.
Rasheedt Ajibade raced down the right side
and crossed to the near post. Diana Gomes
was trying to hold off the charging Oshoala but
the ball hit her foot as she fell and plowed into
her own net. Oluehi then denied Portugal
another goal in the 61 , pushing away an
almost point black shot for a corner kick.
Nigeria had a chance to tie in the 83 minute
when a curling shot struck the crossbar and it
seemed that would be it for the Super Falcons,
but six minutes of stoppage time was just
enough to equalizer.
The goal came after Portugal forward Melissa
Gomes made an ill-advised back pass in her
own defensive third and it was picked off by
forward Gift Monday. She then played a short
pass to Payne who flew into the left side of
box on the dribble and cut a short pass back
to Ajibade who slid to knock the ball into the
right corner, sparking a wild celebration from
the Nigerians.
The final whistle blew seconds later.
After playing two matches each in the Summer
Series, Portugal and Jamaica now head home
while the USA and Nigeria will finish the
Summer Series on June 16 in Austin, Texas in
what will be the first-ever match at the brand
new Q2 Stadium (8 p.m. CT / 9 p.m. ET on
ESPN2). The game is expected to be a sell-
out.

What a match!
The Super Falcons still got some work to do with their defence though.

No selfish playing, it was pure teamwork that brought the draw.

Good work Falcons.
Success in the next game

ehbellsho:
What a match! The Super Falcons still got some work to do with their defence though.
No selfish playing, it was pure teamwork that brought the draw.
Good work Falcons. Success in the next game

Ajibade needs to work on her deliveries... In all, it was a good game