BEVERLY HILLS, JUNE 21, (THEWILL) – Nigeria’s Super Falcons on Thursday finally qualified for the Round of 16 of the ongoing FIFA Women’s World Cup in France, after waiting for twenty-years and missing out on five consecutive occasions.
The last time the Falcons played in the knock-out stage was in the quarter finals at USA 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
The Super Falcons finished Group A with three points in third spot and were hoping to pick one of the slots available for the third placed teams since their 1-0 loss to France on Monday.
The Falcons qualified after Chile failed to beat Thailand as needed to qualify, only winning 2-0 in their final Group F match at the Roazhon Park in Rennes on Thursday.
Chile had needed to win 3-0, or Thailand had needed to beat Chile 15-0, to upstage Nigeria who had been waiting since playing their final Group A match on Monday.
But they failed to take advantage of a penalty kick late in the game which could have given them the needed goal.
Now that they have qualified, they will meet Germany on Saturday at Grenoble in the first match of the Round of 16 stage.
It is first time two African countries will qualify to play in the knock-out round at the FIFA Women’s World Cup as Cameroon also qualified.
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