Nigeria advanced to the knockout phase of the FIFA Women's World Cup Finals at Suncorp Stadium on July 31, despite being held to a scoreless draw by Eire, who enjoyed the majority of the support among the 24,884 fans present as they earned their first point in their final game of their World Cup campaign. The Irish began brightly, Denise O'Sullivan - she's had an impressive Finals - linking with Heather Payne, whose cross picked out Sinead Farrelly. She held the ball up well before rolling it into the stride of Katie McCabe, who thundered an angled twenty yard drive narrowly past the far post in the fifth minute. Four minutes later, a Megan Connolly corner wasn't dealt with confidently by Chiamaka Nnadozie, who performed nervously throughout proceedings, at one stage dropping then catching a teasing free-kick from Connolly right in front of Lily Agg. Prior to that, the "Super Falcons" enjoyed their first chance of the contest after Louise Quinn directed a pass straight to Uchenna Kanu. She sent Asisat Oshoala spearing through the inside right channel, from where she sent a shot curling just beyond the far post of Courtney Brosnan's goal. Halfway through the first half, Niamh Fahey and McCabe - a scrumptious back-heeled pass - combined to send O'Sullivan driving through the inside right channel. She fed Kyra Carusa in the area, but she was quickly closed down by Blessing Demehin, while Payne's cross was headed away by Osinachi Ohale. Four minutes later, O'Sullivan and Payne joined forces again to threaten Nigeria, Payne this time picking out Farrelly with a deep cross which she did well just to meet at full stretch. While nothing came of that attack, the next Irish raid of note saw McCabe's hanging cross nodded down by Connolly to Carusa, whose header was directed straight at Nnadozie. Back came Nigeria, Toni Payne leading the charge in the 38th minute, powering past Agg en route to unleashing a twenty-yarder which fizzed past the post. Six minutes later, she gave the Irish defence further cause for concern, but Fahey and company stood firm on this occasion. They were opened up in splendid fashion in the 52nd minute as Nigeria stepped things up in their pursuit of a goal which would confirm them as group winners. But for a fabulous save by Brosnan,

they would have realised their objective from this attack. Toni Payne was again the catalyst for this "Super Falcons" raid, her cross picking out the head of Kanu, who sent a downward header flying towards the target from six yards. Brosnan flung herself to her right to tip the ball onto the underside of the crossbar, off which the ball bounced down and back into the field of play, allowing "The Girls In Green" to clear their lines. Soon afterwards, Oshoala lashed another shot narrowly past the far post as Nigeria continued to press. But in the 62nd minute, Eire threatened through their passionate captain, McCabe. She picked out Carusa, who held off challenges before inviting O'Sullivan to let fly. The well-performed Ashleigh Plumptre blocked her shot, with Nnadozie dashing off her line to save the ricochet at the feet of Heather Payne. Twenty minutes from time, Nigeria worked a lovely free-kick routine which culminated in substitute Ifeoma Onumonu slipping a delightfully weighted pass into the stride of Rasheedat Ajibade, only for Brosnan to race off her line and save at the feet of the flying "Super Falcon". Moments later, a short corner routine by Nigeria nearly brought them the reward they sought, with Christy Ucheibe's delivery causing chaos in the Irish goalmouth. They survived, and held firm in the time remaining, much of which was punctuated by niggly fouls by both teams, although a last-minute slaloming run by Nigerian substitute Gift Monday almost brought about a dramatic finale, Ajibade's shot being smothered by Brosnan to confirm the scoreless result. While Nigeria march on, the Irish head home with their heads held high. They've made a great contribution to their maiden FIFA Women's World Cup Finals, and in another group, may well have been rewarded with further progress - their last-placed finish in a group which also included co-hosts Australia and Olympic champions Canada does not truly reflect their efforts. Eire:          Brosnan; Fahey (Caldwell, 90), Quinn, Connolly; Payne (Sheva, 83), Agg (Larkin, 83), O'Sullivan, Littlejohn, McCabe (booked, 68); Farrelly, Carusa Nigeria:     Nnadozie; Alozie, Ohale, Demehin (Ebi, 83), Plumptre; Ajibade, Payne, Ucheibe, Ayinde, Kanu (Monday, 67); Oshoala (Onumonu, 67) Referee:     Katia Itzel Garcia (Mexico)