Nigeria v. France 260611

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Necib-Inspired France Sink Nigeria

by Jeremy Ruane

An inspired display from influential French front-runner Louisa Necib saw her lead her country to a deserved 1-0 victory over Nigeria in the opening game of the FIFA Women's World Cup Finals in Sinsheim, Germany on June 26.

In front of a 25,475-strong crowd, and in 30 Celsius temperatures, the French took the initiative from the outset, with Necib central to just about everything "Les Tricolors" did which was good.

Her slick second minute free-kick routine with overlapping fullback Sonia Bompastor allowed the solidly performed defender to clip in a cross from the by-line which crept inches over the head of French striker Marie-Laure Delie.

Two minutes later, a Necib corner was headed off the line by Nigeria's best player, defender Osinachi Ohale, who had her hands full throughout proceedings dealing with the enterprise of Necib, Camille Abily and second half substitutes Eugenie Le Sommer and Elodie Thomis.

By contrast, Nigeria, who relied on veteran front-runner Perpetua Nkowcha for their most likely threats, were arguably best served by their ever-enthusiastic supporting band, who were in fine tune throughout proceedings, contributing greatly to a fine atmosphere, none more so than their trumpet soloist.

But it was on the park where the best impressions needed to be made, and Necib stamped her authority on proceedings in no uncertain terms - such was her dominance of fullback Faith Ikidi that the Nigerian player was withdrawn from the fray after just 33 minutes!

Necib was at the heart of France's best move so far, in the seventeenth minute, beating two opponents before linking with Delie. Her pass set up Elise Bussaglia for a rifled thirty yard drive which brought the very best out of Nigerian goalkeeper Precious Dede - she was at full stretch to tip the shot round her left-hand post.

France came closer still seconds later, Sandrine Soubeyrand's corner to the near post deftly flicked goalwards by Abily. The post came to Nigeria's rescue on this occasion, while Ohale was to the fore four minutes later, blocking a goalbound piledriver from Wendie Renard after Necib's corner had been partially punched clear by Dede.

A rare Nigerian raid in the 25th minute should have seen the African champions break the deadlock. Glory Iroka sent Desire Oparanozie surging clear on the right, but faced by the advancing Bernangere Sapowicz in a one-on-one situation, the striker dragged her shot wide of the far post - a woeful finish on a stage deserving of far better.

That attack gave Nigeria some encouragement, but just as they were beginning to get a grip on proceedings, France stepped up a gear, led by you-know-who. Necib delivered a sublimely weighted pass into the stride of Abily as she raced into the penalty area in the 36th minute, but opting to take a touch when a first-time finish was demanded denied the midfield raider the game's opening goal.

The teams line up for the opening game of Germany 2011

Necib then looked to take matters into her own hands, and two minutes before the half-time whistle unleashed a twenty-five yard screamer which brought the best out of Dede once more - the 'keeper's save virtually mirrored that she produced to frustrate Bussaglia earlier in the half.

The goal France had been threatening finally materialised in the 56th minute. Delie and Abily linked in midfield, with the latter releasing half-time substitute Le Sommer down the right. Her near post cross was touched on by Necib to Delie, who controlled the ball before volleying furiously past Dede from eight yards.

The French were clearly buoyed by the goal, and they proceeded to boss the game for the next ten minutes, during which they engineered three more openings. Thomis and Necib linked for Renard's benefit on the hour, and her cross was skied wildly by Abily.

Four minutes later, Abily and the swift Thomis worked an opening on the right which saw the substitute find an angle for a cross which picked out Delie. This time, her touch and volley was directed straight at Dede, who grabbed the ball greedily.

Seconds later, Bussaglia ranged up on the right and whipped in an angled cross which picked out the head of Le Sommer. Her glancing header crept past the far post, and sparked a Nigerian response which saw Nkwocha drive the ball past the post following an Oparanozie-led raid, and penalty claims go unrewarded as Ebere Orji went down in the area under the challenge of Renard.

Only desperate Nigerian defensive work denied Le Sommer in the 69th minute, after Necib had created yet more havoc - she was the proverbial fox in a hen-house throughout this game, and richly deserved the FIFA Technical Committee's Player of the Game accolade at its conclusion.

Nigeria, who were briefly reduced to nine players late in the game due to injuries, found their attempts to engineer an equaliser in vain - France defended well and with numbers, so much so that goalkeeper Sapowicz didn't have a shot in anger to save throughout the entire match, a statistic which owes much to the exemplary organisation of the defence by Laura Georges.

It would have been a fitting finale had Necib scored the goal her performance richly deserved in the final minute. But her 27-yard free-kick from right in front crept inches over the bar, the opportunity arising from a foul on Thomis by Nigerian defender Onome Ebi, who was fortunate to avoid becoming referee Kari Seitz's only booking of a match deservedly won by the Necib-inspired France

France: Sapowicz; Renard (Lepailleur, 69), Georges, Meilleroux, Bompastor; Abily, Soubeyrand (Le Sommer, 46), Bussaglia; Thiney (Thomis, 57), Necib; Delie

Nigeria: Dede; Ikidi (Chukwunonye, 33), Ohale, Ebi, Ukaonu; Mbachu, Iroka, Chikwelu, Orji (Sunday, 78); Nkwocha, Oparanozie (Michael, 66)

Referee: Kari Seitz (USA)

2011 Draw