The Nigerian women’s football team, the Super Falcons, ended their Paris 2024 Olympic journey without a single victory, crashing out of the tournament after a 3-1 defeat to Japan in their final group stage match. This loss marked the end of a disappointing campaign that saw Nigeria lose all three of their group matches.
Entering the game with slim hopes of qualification, Randy Waldrum’s squad needed a two-goal victory and a favorable result in the Spain-Brazil match.
However, the team’s defensive vulnerabilities were exposed early on, with Japan’s Maika Hamano opening the scoring in the 22nd minute. Mina Tanaka doubled Japan’s lead just ten minutes later, leaving Nigeria with a mountain to climb.
A glimmer of hope emerged when Jennifer Echegini netted Nigeria’s first and only goal of the tournament, briefly energizing the Super Falcons. However, Japan’s Hikaru Kitagawa extinguished any remaining optimism with a sublime free-kick just before halftime, sealing a 3-1 victory for the Japanese side.
This defeat caps off a challenging tournament for Nigeria, who also suffered losses to Brazil and Spain in their previous group matches. The result continues a troubling trend for the Super Falcons in Olympic competitions, with the team having won only one match in their last 12 Olympic football tournament games.
In the group’s other match, Spain secured a 2-0 victory over Brazil, finishing top of Group C with maximum points. This result, coupled with Nigeria’s loss, confirmed the Super Falcons’ early exit from the Paris Olympics.
