The Super Falcons of Nigeria are ready to face England in the round of 16 of the FIFA Women’s World Cup on Monday in Brisbane, Australia.
Nigeria finished second in Group B, behind Australia, while England topped Group D. The two teams have met three befor, with England winning one of those three matches.
However, Nigeria captain Desire Oparanozie is confident that her team can upset the odds.
“We saw what they [England] did against China, and we watched the game,” Oparanozie told Channels TV. “We have an idea of how they play, and we are not going to make the same mistake China made. We are working on how to take them on. Hopefully, it will come out in our favour.”
Nigeria will be without injured midfielder Rita Chikwelu, but they will be boosted by the return of Asisat Oshoala, who missed the last two group games with a knee injury.
Oshoala is one of the most talented players in the world, and her return will be a major boost for Nigeria.
The match against England is a must-win for Nigeria if they want to progress to the quarterfinals. A win would give them a chance to avenge their previous defeat to England and reach the last eight for the first time since 1999.
The match is scheduled to kick off at 8:30 a.m. NG time on Monday.
