Norway vs Nigeria: Can Nigeria translate continental dominance on the world stage ....by Elume Raymond – Sports Analyst

 The winningest African team, with 11 continental championships, is one of only seven teams to
have qualified for every World Cup. Nigeria is a supreme underdog in this group, currently at
38th in the world and having won only one of its past 12 World Cup games, but expect the
Super Falcons to go down swinging.
Martin Sjögren’s first major tournament with the Norwegian team turned out to be an utter
fiasco. There were big expectations for Norway at the Euros in 2017 but the squad (which
included future Ballon d’Or Féminin winner Ada Hegerberg) had to return early after failing to
score a single goal in the group stage. What followed was even more dramatic as Hegerberg
chose to take a break from international football. She later said she could not be herself with
the national team, as she felt she was placed in a system that did not fit her. However, other
players have since stepped up to the plate to take responsibility in her absence and Sjögren did
an impressive job with the team in qualifying for the World Cup after beating the 2017
European champions Netherlands in the decisive qualifier in Oslo.

 Heading into the Women’s World Cup, the Nigeria Football Federation has got its act together
and ensured that the team have had a much better preparation. Bringing in Thomas Dennerby,
who won bronze with Sweden at the 2011 World Cup, was a clear indication and then Nigeria
featured in the Meizhou Four Nation Tournament, the Cyprus Cup, and had a training camp in
Spain, where they played a friendly against Canada before their final preparations in Austria.

The NFF now hopes that the Super Falcons can transfer their continental success to the world
stage and at least get out of the group for the first time since 1999.
Previous Meetings in Major Tournaments
FIFA WWC SWEDEN 1995 - 6 June 1995 Group B: Norway – Nigeria: 8-0
Recent form
Norway
27 Feb 2019: Norway-Denmark: 2-1
1 Mar 2019: Chile-Norway: 1-3
6 Mar 2019: Poland-Norway: 0-3
9 Apr 2019: Norway-New Zealand: 0-1
2 Jun 2019: S. Africa-Norway: 2-7
Nigeria
27 Feb 2019: Nigeria-Australia: 1-4
1 Mar 2019: Slovenia-Nigeria: 3-4
4 Mar 2019: Nigeria-Belgium: 0-1
6 Mar 2019: Nigeria-Taipei: 3-0
8 Apr 2019: Canada-Nigeria: 2-1
What Norway must do to win it - Strengths/Weaknesses
The Swedish manager is likely to go with a 4-4-2 formation in the World Cup. He has spent a lot
of time trying to improve the defensive structure of the team, and the two Chelsea players
Maren Mjelde and Maria Thorisdóttir are likely to play an important part in the heart of the
defence. In midfield Caroline Graham Hansen (who has moved from Wolfsburg to Barcelona
this summer) is, at her best, a tremendous force while the striker Isabell Herlovsen is a constant
goal threat. She had, by mid-May, scored 57 goals for the national team having made her debut
as a 16-year-old in 2005.

 In Hegerberg’s absence, the responsibility of scoring falls on Herlovsen. The 30-year-old could
be the key going forward in the World Cup because of her finishing skills and her uncanny
positional sense in crucial moments.
The young midfielder Ingrid Syrstad Engen (LSK Kvinner) has made huge strides for the national
team recently and she could be handed an important role in the World Cup despite a lack of
international experience. There is the goalkeeper Ingrid Hjelmseth, who at 39 gives the squad
so much in terms of experience.
X-factor for the game: Guro Reiten
Norway, the 1995 champion, quietly became one of the most accomplished World Cup teams
of all time, finishing fourth or better in four of seven World Cups. The team has qualified for
every World Cup.

 What Nigeria must do to win it - Strengths/Weaknesses
Dennerby has tried to instil some order in the attack and tried to make the players work
together while still trying to maintain the verve and pace of the forward line.
Playing with a 4-5-1 that easily morphs into a 4-4-2 when Rasheedat Ajibade starts, the pace
and agility of Barcelona forward Oshoala, strength and poise of Oparanozie, and the creativity
of Francisca Ordega are pivotal to the team’s forward play.
The Super Falcons play a fluid attacking system based on quick transitions into the pacy
attackers. Despite the inexhaustible Rita Chikwelu plugging several holes in midfield alongside
Halimatu Ayinde, there are spaces there for opponents to exploit with the ageless Onome Ebi
and the defence needing to keep a high defensive line.

The defence looked strong at the Awcon, conceding just one goal throughout the tournament,
but the friendlies before the World Cup revealed a weakness in set-piece situations.
X-factor for the game: Anam Mary Imo
Nigeria has a slew of young, fast forwards strewn across Europe and in China who cause
headaches for more talented squads. Just look at its 2015 World Cup in the Group of Death:
Nigeria played Sweden to a 3-3 tie -- drawing level on three separate occasions -- narrowly lost
to Australia 2-0 and then were edged by the United States 1-0. Those teams would finish 2015
ranked eighth, ninth and first, respectively. The Super Falcons hang around.

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