International Friendly: Super Falcons Impress in Goalless Draw Against Portugal

Posted : 24 June 2025

Reigning African Best Goalkeeper, Chiamaka Nnadozie, had a night to remember as Nigeria’s Super Falcons displayed both flair and resilience in a 0-0 draw with hosts Portugal in a pre-WAFCON friendly match in Lisbon on Monday.

The nine-time African champions, aiming for a historic 10th title, arrived in Portugal less than 24 hours before the encounter but showed no signs of fatigue, standing toe-to-toe with their hosts in a performance that underlined their readiness for the upcoming continental tournament in Morocco.

A misplaced back pass by Christy Ucheibe in the 6th minute allowed Diana Silva a glimpse of goal, but her effort flew wide. Three minutes later, Nnadozie confidently claimed a Portuguese cross, and at the other end, Francisca Ordega cut inside to feed captain Rasheedat Ajibade, whose sharp turn and shot nearly caught goalkeeper Ines Pereira off guard.

Nnadozie pulled off a superb save in the 24th minute, and as Portugal piled on the pressure, it was her brilliance and solid defensive organization from the Falcons that kept the scoreline intact.

Just before halftime, Nigeria almost grabbed the lead against the run of play, but Rinsola Babajide overhit her final ball after Ordega had been denied by a last-ditch tackle.

In the second half, Nnadozie continued her heroics, pulling off three world-class saves within four minutes to deny Jessica Silva, Fatima Pinto, and Andreia Norton.

The introduction of Ifeoma Onumonu, Ashleigh Plumptre, and Halimatu Ayinde injected fresh energy into the team. Nigeria began to take control, with Ordega’s intelligent play causing more problems for the Portuguese backline. Her 64th-minute pass into the box went unmet, and later, she rattled the crossbar with a stunning long-range strike.

Onumonu also came close to breaking the deadlock after being picked out again by Ordega, but her final touch was not enough to beat the goalkeeper.

In the end, the Super Falcons earned plaudits for a composed and elegant performance, leaving the home fans at the Estádio José Gomes impressed.

The Nigerian squad will depart Lisbon for Casablanca on Wednesday, where they are scheduled to face Ghana’s Black Queens in another friendly on Sunday.

Their opening match of the 13th Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) is set for Sunday, July 6, against Tunisia in Casablanca.

International Friendly: Super Falcons Impress in Goalless Draw Against Portugal

Reigning African Best Goalkeeper, Chiamaka Nnadozie, had a night to remember as Nigeria’s Super Falcons displayed both flair and resilience in a 0-0 draw with hosts Portugal in a pre-WAFCON friendly match in Lisbon on Monday.

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