Sports
Super Falcons’ Goalie Chiamaka Nnadozie Reflects On Her Penalty Exploits
Nigeria’s Super Falcons goalkeeper, Chiamaka Nnadozie, has reflected on her penalty exploits ahead of her team’s must-win game against Australia, the co-hosts of the 2023 Women’s World Cup.
Chiamaka Nnadozie saved Canada’s Christine Sinclair’s penalty in the 50th minute of their goalless draw with the Olympic champions at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium in Australia.
Even before the World Cup, the Paris FC goalkeeper had a knack for stopping penalties.
Falcons qualified for Morocco’s Women’s Africa Cup of Nations thanks to Chiamaka Nnadozie’s exploits in the penalty shootout.
The Falcons beat Ivory Coast 2-0 in the first leg in Abuja. While in the second leg at the Stade Robert Champroux, the 22-year-old goalie saved a penalty in the 34th minute after defender Ashleigh Plumptre was adjudged to have tripped an Ivoirian striker in the Nigerian area.
Ahead of the Super Falcon’s clash with the co-hosts of the 2023 Women’s World Cup, reporters asked Nnadozie if her save against Canada was the first time she stopped a penalty in a competitive game.
She said, “Yes during the AFCON qualifiers last year against Ivory Coast, I stopped a penalty to keep the team’s AFCON hopes alive.
“There’s no extra time dedicated to learning how to save penalties. I think it is down to your feelings and your mindset. it was not easy but then I was happy I was happy to save the penalty. It wasn’t an easy one.”