Against much expectation, the Super Falcons failed to perform in their final match of Group C in the Paris 2024 Women’s Olympic Football Tournament.
Their 1-3 loss to the Japanese team turned out to be their biggest defeat of the tournament, and they return home without a point from their first Olympic appearance in 16 years.
After 0-1 defeats to Brazil and Spain in their two earlier matches, the Falcons were expected to give their all against the Asian champions.
Instead, the Nadeshiko scored two goals just a little after the half-hour mark, both within 10 minutes of each other.
Mika Hamano fired past goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie to give the Asian champions the lead after 22 minutes, and in the 32nd minute, Mina Tanaka doubled the lead, leaving the nine-time African champions with a heavy burden to overcome to have any chance of victory.
Jennifer Echegini briefly gave hope of that possibility with a brilliant strike three minutes before halftime, but the Japanese restored their two-goal advantage in added time of the first half when Hamano scored her second with a superb free-kick.
The much-anticipated revival in the second half failed to materialize, and the Super Falcons have departed the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament in France without earning a single point and scoring only one goal in their three matches.
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