National Teams
Paris 2024: Nigeria – Brazil Previews: Super Falcons begin Olympics quest
By Wale Mustapha
Nigeria women’s national team and their Brazilian counterparts are set to face off at the Stade Matmut-Atlantique in the opening match of their group at the 2024 Olympics on Thursday.
Both teams will be targeting three points in this crucial match to kickstart the tournament on a positive note. The Super Falcons are competing at the Olympics for the fourth time, while Brazil is making their eighth appearance at the tournament.
Nigeria produced an impressive performance at the 2023 World Cup, collecting five points from their three group games. This achievement allowed them to advance to the last 16 ahead of reigning Olympic champions Canada. The Super Falcons then ran England close in the last 16 before ultimately falling short in the subsequent penalty shootout.
Now, they’re looking forward to another important competition after successfully navigating three rounds of qualifying. Nigeria claimed a 5-1 win over Ethiopia over two legs, followed by 1-0 aggregate wins over Cameroon and South Africa. This secured their return to the Olympics for the first time since 2008.
The Super Falcons have been drawn in a group alongside Brazil, Japan, and Spain, making it a challenging task to advance to the knockout rounds. Their last appearance in the knockout rounds was at the 2004 Olympics in Greece.
In contrast, Brazil experienced a forgettable World Cup campaign, going out in the group stage with four points. Since then, they’ve changed their head coach, appointing Arthur Elias as Pia Sundhage’s successor. Elias aims to lead his country to their first-ever gold medal in the women’s football event at the Olympics.
They will be facing a rejigged Super Falcons who have become more compact and aggressive since their World Cup experience.
It is expected to be a spectacle when both teams, who are superpowers in their respective regions, take to the pitch on Thursday. The outcome will likely determine how far either team will fare at the Olympics.
