FIFA Women's World Cup co-hosts Australia were stunned by Nigeria at Suncorp Stadium on 27 July, the "Super Falcons" coming from behind to sink "The Matildas" 3-2 in front of 49,156 fans, who looked on in disbelief as the local heroines' hopes of progressing into the knockout stages were cast to the wind. Both teams spent time in the opposition's penalty area early doors, but it was the Nigerians who offered the first threat on goal, Uchenna Kanu getting past Ellie Carpenter before sending a cross zooming across the goalmouth from the by-line. "The Matildas"' response to this early threat was led by their captain, Steph Catley. Katrina Gorry invited her to surge into the penalty area in the thirteenth minute, the fullback unleashing a shot which Nigerian goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie blocked for a corner, which Catley fired into the goalmouth. The ball was cleared to Emily Van Egmond, whose shot was blocked to safety. An arm wrestle ensued, during which both Caitlin Foord and Carpenter fired efforts well wide of the mark, before Catley once more led Australia towards the target via a corner on the half-hour. Her delivery to the near post was headed across goal by a defender to Hayley Raso, who somehow fired past the far post when scoring seemed easier. Gorry was on corner-taking duties seven minutes before half-time as "The Matildas"' search for an opening goal continued. From her delivery, Foord saw a shot blocked, while Van Egmond lashed her effort inches over the bar. A rare Nigerian threat was fired by Christy Ucheibe in the 41st minute, the ball ricocheting past the post off her team-mate, Ashleigh Plumptre, an attempt which prompted Australia to redouble their efforts to break the deadlock before half-time. They succeeded in their quest as the game entered stoppage time at the end of the half. Gorry latched onto a poor goal kick by Nnadozie and promptly unleashed Foord, who swept the ball across goal for Van Egmond to steer home beyond the goalkeeper into the far corner of the net from the edge of the penalty area. "The Matildas" and their fans were still celebrating that goal when they were stunned by the "Super Falcons"' response - an equaliser deep in first half stoppage time. Toni Payne's sharp interception presented Rasheedat Ajibade with the chance to deliver quality from the left. The ball deflected to Kanu, who stabbed the ball home through the legs of the lunging figure of Catley by the far post - 1-1. That goal changed the half-time team talks in both dressing rooms, but it was the natives who were first to respond once play resumed, Gorry's 47th minute snapshot from the edge of the area flying inches over the crossbar with Nnadozie floundering in response. Soon afterwards, Catley was on the charge once again, this time bringing Cortnee Vine into play. She slipped the ball inside to Foord, who evaded two challenges before inviting Van Egmond to double her goal tally for the match. That effort was blocked, while the hitherto untested Mackenzie Arnold foiled Kanu's tamely struck grasscutter in the 56th minute as the perennial African contenders fired their first shot of the half in anger. Back came Australia, Carpenter marauding down the right before fizzing in a 63rd minute cross which Foord only just failed to turn home via a diving header. Instead, the ball broke for Kyra Cooney-Cross, whose twenty-five yard drive flashed past the

post. Nigeria introduced their talisman, Asisat Oshoala, off the bench in response to this close call, and no one present could have predicted the immediate impact the former Liverpool striker would have on proceedings - within nine minutes, the "Super Falcons" had struck twice to turn the game on its head and leave "The Matildas" shellshocked. The newcomer instantly earned Nigeria a corner, which Ucheibe delivered into the danger zone. The ball wasn't cleared, prompting a header from Michelle Alozie which picked out Ajibade, whose headed attempt on goal was fumbled by Arnold. Osinachi Ohale, following in, bundled the ball home from point-blank range - 2-1 Nigeria. Australia was still reeling from finding themselves behind on the scoreboard when they fell further behind in the 72nd minute. Payne lobbed the ball forward, but Alanna Kennedy was well placed to deal with any threat it posed. Being well placed is one thing, however - doing the deed is another matter entirely. The defender's header back to Arnold lacked authority and power, two things which Oshoala has in abundance. She swooped on the scene in a manner reminiscent of a falcon pouncing on its prey from above, bursting in between the defender and goalkeeper to tuck the ball home from a tight angle - 3-1. The crowd was stunned! This wasn't in the script! Nor was an Australian fightback, but it's what they now had to do to get something out of this game, or face the very real prospect of a winner-take-all encounter with Olympic champions Canada just to get through to the knockout phase of the competition. On Nigeria the pressure was duly piled, Kennedy grazing the crossbar with a header from a Catley corner twelve minutes from time, Foord thrashing a fifteen-yarder inches over the bar two minutes later. Nnadozie smothered a twenty-yarder from Alex Chidiac soon after she's entered the fray, then as the game entered a staggering twelve minutes of stoppage time, the Australian substitute lashed a volley over the bar after pouncing on a loose ball. "The Matildas" were throwing everything at the "Super Falcons" in their bid to reduce the deficit, but the African team was holding firm. Nnadozie thwarted Foord's close-range header in stunning fashion before Australia finally made the breakthrough in the tenth minute of stoppage time, Kennedy heading home on the far post on receipt of a Cooney-Cross corner - 3-2. Still they pressed, Foord heading down a Cooney-Cross cross for Carpenter to let fly on the volley. Nnadozie denied them once again, then launched a counter-attack from which Oshoala stung the gloves of Arnold from distance. Time was Australia's enemy, however, and when it ran out, Nigeria were wild with delight - the last sixteen beckoned. For the co-hosts, however, they now knew their fate - they didn't call this group "the group of death" for nothing! Australia:     Arnold; Carpenter, Hunt, Kennedy, Catley; Raso (Chidiac, 85), Gorry, Cooney-Cross, Vine (Polkinghorne, 82); Van Egmond, Foord (booked, 45) Nigeria:     Nnadozie; Alozie (booked, 21), Ohale, Demehin, Plumptre (Ogbonna, 76); Payne (Ebi, 90), Ayinde (Echegini, 76), Ucheibe; Onumonu (Okoronkwo, 63), Kanu (Oshoala, 63 (booked, 73)), Ajibade Referee:     Esther Staubli (Switzerland)