Reviewing Nigeria’s 2023 Women’s World Cup group stage campaign records

By Oyediji Oluwaseun Babatunde

Nigeria’s senior women’s national team progressed to the Round of 16 of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

In the process, NigeriaFootball reviews some of enviable records set by the nine-time African champions on their way to clinching a place in the knockout stage of the tournament after a 0-0 draw with debutant, the Republic of Ireland on Monday.

Goalkeeper, Chiamaka Nnadozie also added to her personal record of becoming the youngest goalkeeper to keep a clean sheet at the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

With its qualification for the last 16, the Super Falcons became the first African side to make it out of the group stage at three different Women’s World Cups. The team previously made it to the quarter-final in 1999 and the Round of 16 in 2019.

Cameroon is the closest African side to Nigeria after making it to the Round of 16 twice. In 2015, the Indomitable Lionesses made it to the knockout Round in Canada and also achieved the same feat alongside Nigeria in 2019.

Randy Waldrum’s side is also the first African team to keep two clean sheets at the tournament which the team achieved against Olympic champions, Canada (0-0) and debutant, Republic of Ireland (0-0).

Individually, Nigeria goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie emerged as the first Nigerian and African goalkeeper to keep two clean sheets at the Women’s World Cup.

With a win and two draws at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, Nigeria also emerged as the first African side to go unbeaten after three group games at the Women’s World Cup.

With the above records, it is now left for other African teams to try to meet up or play catch up with the nine-time African champions which have featured at every edition of the tournament, another record that can’t be matched by other teams on the continent.