Nigeria held reigning Olympic Women's Football champions Canada to a scoreless draw in their opening game of the FIFA Women's World Cup Finals at Melbourne's AAMI Park on July 21, the 21,410 fans present being treated to a lively encounter which included a saved penalty and a sending-off, the first dismissal of these Finals. The Canadians applied early pressure aplenty, Adriana Leon's bid to wriggle through the defence in the eighth minute being thwarted by Osinachi Ohale, who was prominent throughout proceedings as Beverley Priestman's charges looked in vain to break the deadlock. Christine Sinclair, the most prolific markswoman in the history of international women's football, saw her bid to add to her tally of 190 goals go unrewarded in the ninth minute as she lashed a twenty-yarder over the top following Ashley Lawrence's raid down the left. Six minutes later, a Lawrence corner was punched out by Nigerian goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie to Kadeisha Buchanan, whose shot was blocked to safety, like so many other Canadian attempts throughout this contest - the "Super Falcons" defended superbly throughout proceedings. Michelle Alozie was next to feature in this regard, although not for good reasons, her scything challenge on Jordyn Huitema leaving one of the pin-ups of the Canadian game feeling rather the worse for wear. Leon fired in the resulting free-kick from the left flank, targeting the head of Sinclair. Nnadozie had eyes on the ball, however, punching it off the legend's head at the same time as Alozie clattered into her team-mate … OUCH! Big-time! Once Nnadozie had recovered, Nigeria's leading striker, Asisat Oshoala, looked to produce her team's first chance of the match, leading a 23rd minute raid which culminated in Ifeoma Onumonu unleashing a curling twenty yard drive which Kailen Sheridan saved well low to her left. After Huitema had headed past the post following good work by Julia Grosso and Lawrence down the left, clever work down the right by Francisca Ordega in the 32nd minute culminated in a cross which picked out Onumonu. Her header was diverted to safety by Quinn. The resulting corner, taken by Toni Payne, was punched out by Sheridan to Ohale, who let rip from twenty yards. The ball flew narrowly over the bar, while from the resulting goal kick, Ashleigh Plumptre sent Oshoala spearing through the offside trap. She rounded Sheridan, who had forced the striker away from goal with her actions. Unperturbed, Oshoala drove in a low cross which struck the heel of the fast-retreating figure of Quinn and ricocheted into the goalmouth. Ordega came steaming in looking to turn it home, but was beaten to it by Lawrence - a vital clearance which maintained parity. Two minutes before half-time, Lawrence sent Leon racing to the by-line, from where she whipped in a

low first-time cross to the near post, where both Huitema and Jayde Riviere were converging. So was Nnadozie - the 'keeper prevailed. Canada were afforded a glorious chance to take the lead two minutes after half-time. Sinclair was taken out in the area by Ordega, but referee Lina Lehtovaara didn't see the incident. The all-seeing eyes of the Video Assistant Referee was all over it like a rash, however - penalty! Up stepped Sinclair, only to see Nnadozie plunge to her left and pull off a superb save, then paw the rebound to safety as Sinclair closed in looking to turn the ball home in the immediate aftermath. The Canadians kept pressing, Leon rattling the side-netting with a free-kick from wide on the left, to which Nigeria responded through Onumonu. Her progress was halted unceremoniously by Lawrence inside the 'D', but it was deemed legal, despite the downed player needing treatment for the injury which resulted this incident on the hour. Back came the Olympic champions, Huitema flicking down Quinn's 66th minute lob for newly introduced substitute Evelyne Viens. Nnadozie was perfectly placed to block her effort, then looked on with relief six minutes later as a first-time drive from Huitema struck a defender's arm at point-blank range. No penalty was the verdict from the match officials. Now it was the "Super Falcons"' turn to look for an opening goal. Payne's 75th minute free-kick resulted in two shots being blocked by Canadian defenders, while five minutes later Sheridan superbly denied substitute Uchenna Kanu with her legs from six yards after she had been picked out by Onumonu. Another Payne set-piece - this time a corner - found Sheridan standing tall amid a cluster of Nigerian attackers. She sparked a Canadian counter-attack which culminated in Viens' shot on the turn in the penalty area six minutes from time being blocked by Blessing Demehin. That was the cue for Canada to turn up the heat in the final minutes, but Demehin brilliantly denied substitute Cloe Lacasse in stoppage time, while Nnadozie turned a Lawrence snapshot round the post moments before Canada's best-performed player was taken out by Deborah Abiodun, who was initially booked. But VAR revealed her challenge on Lawrence was of the over-the-top variety - the yellow card was upgraded to red. Nigeria's ten women held on for a hard-earned scoreless draw against the Olympic champions, maintaining their remarkable record against Canada, who have never beaten their African rivals when encountering them in a FIFA Finals fixture. Nigeria:     Nnadozie; Ohale, Plumptre, Demehin (booked, 54), Alozie; Ordega (Kanu, 73), Abiodun (sent off, 90), Payne, Ucheibe, Onumonu (Okoronkwo, 85); Oshoala (Echegini, 90) Canada:     Sheridan; Riviere (Chapman, 71), Buchanan, Gilles, Lawrence (booked, 74); Rose (Lacasse, 46), Grosso (Prince, 82), Sinclair (Schmidt, 71), Quinn, Leon (Viens, 64 (booked, 90); Huitema Referee:     Lina Lehtovaara (Finland)