Ayinde for Uchendu. Here's how our @NGSuper_Falcons line up tonight against the @Frenchteam WNT. Soar, @NGSuper_Falcons!!! #DareToShine #FIFAWWC #SoarSuperFalcons #Team9jaStrong #NGA #FRA #NGAFRA pic.twitter.com/RNdGqRDokd— OYEWALE MOYOSOLA (@Chemist_analyst) June 17, 2019 Perisset for Torrent; Bilbault for Bussaglia; Asseyi for Le Sommer; Cascarino for Diani. La composition de l'Equipe de France !!!!! #FRA #FiersdetreBleues #NIGFRA pic.twitter.com/DoxtI6URww— Equipe de France ⭐⭐ (@equipedefrance) June 17, 2019 Annnnnnnnd the team news from Rennes! 🇳🇬🇫🇷#NGAFRA | #FIFAWWC pic.twitter.com/1JkCHluYq9— FIFA Women's World Cup (@FIFAWWC) June 17, 2019
Umph! I just took Cascarino out of my Fantasy team's starters because I thought she wouldn't have played. Well, at least, in the window between matchdays, I traded for Henry. I guess I'll watch this game instead of the Norway-South Korea one. I wonder if Nigeria can advance: a severe beating by France could hurt their goal difference, and their chances with it.
The game of the night has kicked off!Nigeria's Super Falcons are up against the host nation, France in a crucial tie for Nigeria.The last time both teams met, the Falcons were beaten 8-0. But we expect nothing short of a draw tonight!#NGAFRA #FIFAWWC pic.twitter.com/aaY1R2k0L7— Benny (@BenUgbana) June 17, 2019
17' 0-0 France right ck, outswing to 11m 5-left, Henry right roundhouse volley just wide left. First big chance for France!Amandine Henry goes for the volley off the corner and hits it well, but hits it wide. #FIFAWWC pic.twitter.com/bHy971Ezkd— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) June 17, 2019 27' 0-0 Cascarino chases down wide right to 22m, Ebere runs across her front, Cascarino hops aside but gets brushed across her front, friction rotates/undercuts her and she lands heavily on her right shoulder. Foul, yellow card on Ebere. 28' 0-0 Majri fk at 22m wide right, to 3m 4-left. Nnadozie comes out and jumps with Henry, ball glances off Henry's back left skull, over wide left. Again it's Amandine Henry at the far post off a set piece, and again she misses the target just wide! #FIFAWWC pic.twitter.com/DJcGvibcZC— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) June 17, 2019 France have 70% possession so far, as Nigeria sit back in a shell and wait for counters.
Nigeria getting looks. I'm sure they'd love a win, but a draw should also see them through to the knockouts.
0-0 HT. It looks like all of the matches I choose to watch today will end 0-0. Let's hope something changes in 2nd half: so far just a pair of half-chances for Amandine Henry, but nothing really relevant. In the end, with a draw France wins the group and Nigeria advances, so why should they hurt themselves? I can only count on France's pride in front of their own public for this game to have any semblance of an history...
43' 0-0 Bilbault races Chikwelu head-on to a 60-40, Bilbault pokes ball away, Chikwelu hops aside -- but unbalances self, puts right hand out and palms Bilbault's left jaw as she does a forward somersault over Bilbault's legs. Stoppage for head injury. 45' 0-0 Gauvin leaves feet for a bicycle kick at 15m center -- kicks ball directly off Ebi's head, and away, follows through with high boot resting against Ebi's chest. Foul, yellow card on Gauvin. 45+2' (of +2') 0-0 Oshoala drives down box left, Périsset slide-pokes over endline. 45+4' (of +2') 0-0 Nigeria left ck, headed away. HT 0-0.
59' 0-0 Renard longball from circle back left, Cascarino chases it down at 5m mid-right. Backpass to Thiney wide-open at 11m right post, one-touch left instep opened too far, way wide left. This always happens to Thiney on the big stage we feel sorry for her 62' 0-0 France subs in (1 of 3) #9 Eugénie Le Sommer for #20 Delphine Cascarino. Fifteen fans in an upper box actually spell out all of E U G E N I E L E S O M M E R on their t-shirts 63' 0-0 France subs in (2 of 3) #11 Kadidiatou Diani for #13 Valérie Gauvin.
Ok, we've seen last World Cup that Gaëtane Thiney can miss sitters, but with this last shoot wide you get the impression that France just doesn't want to score and settled for the draw!
65' 0-0 Thiney right ck, cleared away. Majri stops at 22m arc left, shoots left instep hard to 1/4 left, Nnadozie catches low. Nnadozie is having another good game, calmly handling every situation. 66' 0-0 Henry one-touch pass from 30 box right down wide right for Asseyi overlapping unmarked to 11m. Fast cross to 5m 1/4 right, Thiney slides and pokes it just wide left low past Nnadozie diving. It just won't go in for France!Thiney slides in but just can't get enough on the great cross from Asseyi. pic.twitter.com/jt53RwZDTC— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) June 17, 2019 "France couldn't hit water if they fell out of a boat" = +
Yeah, that's a clear penalty for me, but how often will France need one to take up late leads? Edit: She's missed. Edit: And it's now going to be retaken with a yellow for the keeper. Oh, that's very marginal.