Paris Olympics: Nigeria vs Brazil – Five hurdles Super Falcons must overcome to triumph over the Canarinhas

Nigeria’s Super Falcons are slated to face Brazil women’s national team in a Group C opener at the 2024 Paris Olympics later today, Soccernet.ng reports.

The match scheduled for 7 pm (Nigerian time) at the 42,000-capacity Stade Matmut-Atlantique in Bordeaux, France, will be the clash of two continental giants.

Eight-time Copa America winners, Brazil are the dominant force in South America and they will be the favourites to overcome nine-time African champions, Nigeria.

However, after impressing at the FIFA Women’s World Cup last year, the Super Falcons will be silently confident they can upset the odds and shock the reigning South American queens.

Still, to record a positive result, Nigeria must overcome several hurdles placed in their path by previous experiences. Here are the top five:

1. The Super Falcons have never defeated Brazil

Nigeria have met Brazil’s women twice and have lost both encounters. The first meeting with the Brazilians was at the FIFA Women’s World Cup finals in the USA in 1999.

After a forgettable first half, the Super Falcons roared back from 0-3 down at halftime to tie the encounter 3-3 but lost via the ‘golden goal’ at the Jack Kent Cooke Stadium in Maryland.

The second faceoff was at the Beijing Olympics when Nigeria stumbled to a 3-1 loss at the hands of the Canarinhas in front of 51,112 spectators at the impressive Workers’ Stadium in China.

Legendary forward Perpetua Nkwocha’s penalty kick put Nigeria in front but it was annulled by a Cristiane hat-trick that sent Brazil to the last eight.

Interestingly, that was Nigeria’s last match at the Olympics before failing to qualify for all the editions hosted over the past 16 years.

The Super Falcons must end that poor run against Brazil to stand a chance of making it past the group stage at the Paris Olympics.

2. Nigeria have not won an Olympic match in 20 years

After suffering similar 3-1 defeats to China PR, Norway, and the United States in their maiden appearance at the Olympics in 2000, the Super Falcons rewrote the history books at the 2004 Games.

Nigeria recorded their first victory at the Olympic Games on August 14, 2004, inside the Stadio Georgios Karaiskáki in Piraeus, Greece – a 1-0 win over Japan.

Sadly, that is the first and last time the Super Falcons have secured maximum points at the tournament. Nigeria have lost five straight matches since, including defeats to Germany (twice) and that loss to Brazil.

3. Brazil have never lost to African opposition

Another impressive Brazilian streak that Nigeria will aim to end is the South Americans’ unbeaten run against African opposition.

The Canarinhas have faced Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea, Ghana, Cameroon, South Africa, and Zambia over a combined nine matches, winning eight and drawing the other. South Africa picked that fine draw in a goalless outing at the 2016 Olympics.

During those encounters, Brazil scored 30 goals and conceded only five, with Nigeria (4 goals) and Ghana (1) the only African teams that have ever scored against the two-time Olympic silver medalist.

4. The FIFA hurdle

A glance at the FIFA rankings table suggests that Nigeria stand no chance against Brazil today – a perception the Super Falcons will be eager to nullify.

Brazil are ranked the 9th-best football nation in the world, only behind Spain, France, England, Germany, the United States, Sweden, Japan, and Canada.

Nigeria, on the other hand, are a further 21 rungs below the Canarinhas in 36th place.

It has taken a lot of good work from coach Randy Waldrum and the Super Falcons to climb from a record-low of 46th in August 2022 to this point and they will be keen to show how far they have come against Brazil despite the huge gap on the FIFA ranking.

5. Brazil’s dominance against weaker foes

Brazil have not lost to a team below them on the FIFA ranking in two years, since a 2-1 loss to Denmark in 2022.

Since that time, the Canarinhas have had little trouble defeating weaker oppositions, registering 20 wins and one draw against Jamaica in 2023.

Brazil faced the Jamaicans again last month twice in preparation for this tournament and forced two 4-0 defeats down their throats.

While so much appears to be in favour of Brazil, the South Americans will do well not to underrate the Super Falcons.

Nigeria showed at last summer’s FIFA Women’s World Cup finals, that any team that belittles the nine-time African champions could end up with a black eye and a bloody nose.

The Super Falcons boast Africa’s best goalkeeper in Chiamaka Nnadozie, the most successful player on the continent, Asisat Oshoala, and one of the best players in Spain, Rasheedat Ajibade.

With these excellent talents at his disposal, coach Randy Waldrum will look to engineer Brazil’s fall and secure a memorable victory for Nigeria in France.