BRISBANE, Australia — With the match tied at 1-1 within the second half, few would’ve blamed Nigeria coach Randy Waldrum for bringing in defensive reinforcements towards Women’s World Cup co-host Australia.
Instead, Waldrum went all in Thursday. He despatched on striker Asisat Oshoala to mix with midfielder Rasheedat Ajibade and push for an upset win. Two positive particular person gamers, they’re even higher as a staff.
Oshoala’s entrance within the 63rd minute, reuniting a playmaking duo that hadn’t but performed collectively on this event, helped Nigeria to 3-1 lead inside 9 minutes. And they held on for a 3-2 win.
Ajibade and Oshoala “are needed on the team, and I think they showed that tonight,” mentioned Uchenna Kanu, who scored Nigeria’s opening purpose late in first-half stoppage time. “Asisat coming on and doing what she knows how to do was really cool.”
The three targets it scored equaled Nigeria’s highest scoring output in its World Cup historical past.
After arriving on the World Cup with issues over the squad’s preparations, Nigeria is unbeaten towards two Top 10 groups and shares the Group B lead on 4 factors with Olympic champion Canada.
PHOTOS: Partnership between Oshoala and Ajibade lifts Nigeria to upset over Australia
Barcelona ahead Oshoala began in final week’s opening 0-0 draw towards Canada, however struggled within the aftermath with a hamstring damage. Atletico Madrid midfielder Ajibade missed the Canada sport as a consequence of a purple card she acquired within the 2022 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations semifinals.
So, in a masterstroke of tactical roster administration, Waldrum determined to maintain Oshoala out of the beginning 11 towards Australia and recall Ajibade to provide the staff some path within the first half.
When it mattered most, he ensured they have been on the sector collectively.
The relationship between Oshoala and Ajibade is one which dates again to their time as youth gamers.
“We grew up together at the same grassroots team,” Oshoala mentioned after the match. “She’s my sister.”
Ajibade and Oshoala performed collectively at FC Robo. The chemistry the 2 constructed there has continued now to soccer’s greatest stage.
“It’s all about the communication and understanding each other,” Ajibade mentioned. “We do it in training, so we have to do it in the games.”
Waldrum acknowledged that the chemistry prolonged past these two to all the squad.
“The team chemistry has been really strong now and they’re really fighting for each other,” Waldrum mentioned. “They’re not concerned with who gets the glory or who gets the goal. They just battle for each other.”
Nigeria faces winless Ireland in its final sport of Group B subsequent Monday. A win or draw would see the Super Falcons advancing to the knockout stage.
“We’ve come in here and gotten two results out of two top teams in the world,” Waldrum mentioned. “It says a lot to not only our ability but to just the heart and the competitive desire that the team has.”
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Brooke Evans and Taft Gantt are college students on the University of Georgia’s Carmical Sports Media Institute.
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