England vs Nigeria: Players rated from best to worst as Super Falcons crash out of World Cup

Which Super Falcons stars rose to the occasion and which players failed to live up to the billing against England?

The dream is over for the Super Falcons of Nigeria at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, but the players can still hold their heads high after several impressive performances over the course of the tournament, 

Against England, a number of players were on their A game, while a few others failed to rise to the occasion. Check out which Super Falcons’ stars were top and which were flops against England’s Lionesses. 

Ashleigh Plumptre 8.5/10

Another exceptional display by Ashleigh Plumptre, as the self-acclaimed Yoruba girl was the best player on the pitch between both sides. 

Excellent in defending an England right wing that included the legendary Lucy Bronze and tricky Alessia Russo, Plumptre still managed several forays forward and came close to giving the Super Falcons the lead after only 16 minutes when she hit the post. 

To highlight just how good Plumptre was, she made 11 recoveries (second-most), won 11 of 14 aerial duels (most in both teams), made four interceptions, and won three tackles. 

In possession, she recorded the most touches on the pitch, and played the most passes by a Super Falcons player, including 14 times into the final third (the second-most for Nigeria), 

Chiamaka Nnadozie 8/10

Chiamaka Nnadozie could scarcely have done more to ensure Nigeria reached the next round, but sadly, it was not enough as the Super Falcons crashed out after an encouraging tournament. 

Against England, Nnadozie was excellent between the sticks, earning a third clean sheet in normal time at the World Cup thanks to crucial saves, including two from point-blank range from England’s Rachael Daly and Alessia Russo late on to keep the Super Falcons in the game. 

She, as well as her Super Falcons’ teammates, can hold their heads high, having given their best. 

Toni Payne 7/10

Unlucky not to record an assist against England, Toni Payne created seven chances for her teammates in the Round of 16 tie, the most of any player on the pitch. The next best were England’s Georgia Stanway and Alex Greenwood with three each. 

Despite barely getting the chance to tarry on the ball, Payne ensured that every touch of the ball counted, and on another day her creativity could have been the difference maker for the Super Falcons.  

Uchenna Kanu 6/10

Along with Plumptre, Uchenna Kanu came closest to giving Nigeria the lead after rattling the crossbar with an early second-half effort. 

She was a constant thorn in the side of the Lionesses’ defence but succumbed to fatigue in the closing stages of the second half when she was taken off for Francisca Ordega. 

Blessing Demehin 5.5/10

After making an awful mistake in the first half, Blessing Demehin recovered with a more composed performance in the latter stages of the match, both on and off the ball. 

The centre-back was part of a successful unit that helped keep England’s attackers at bay, making 10 recoveries and six clearances during the match. 

Osinachi Ohale 5.5/10

Similar to her centre-back partner, Demehin, Osinachi Ohale also suffered a shaky start to the game, but also recovered well as she grew into the game, stifling several chances for the opponents. 

After being starved of the ball in the first half thanks to England’s press and her own nervousness, Ohale resumed her usual excellent passing in the second half and ended the game with a game-high 15 passes into the final third from centre-back for the Super Falcons.  

Halimatu Ayinde 5/10

Defensive midfielder Halimatu Ayinde continued her impressive World Cup campaign, keeping impressive teenager Deborah Abiodun on the bench once again. 

She was not as dominant in possession as against Ireland, but she still did enough defensively to shut down the opponents’ creative endeavours which is a huge credit to her, considering the opponents were England.  

Rasheedat Ajibade 5/10

After an abysmal first half, Rasheedat Ajibade came alive in the second period with the introduction of Asisat Oshoala and was more forceful on the ball, making runs to force England to do some difficult defending. 

Michelle Alozie 5/10

Super Falcons fan favourite Michelle Alozie put in a solid defensive display against England and did well against the threat posed by a notoriously prolific attack, even frustrating Lionesses star player Lauren James into a red card. 

However, her game against England will sadly be looked at through the lenses of two late moments, first when she missed a clear-cut chance and then when she missed from the penalty spot during the shootout.  

Christy Ucheibe 5/10

While she was not her usual dominant self against a superb English midfield, Christy Ucheibe still had a decent game to limit England’s chances, making telling tackles to deny the Lionesses an opening on numerous occasions. 

With the increased midfield pressure by her opponents today, Ucheibe was more prone to loose touches in midfield than in previous games but overall did okay to recover the ball. 

Ifeoma Onumonu 4/10

The most disappointing of all the starters, Ifeoma Onumonu has certainly seen better games in the Super Falcons shirt. 

The 29-year-old forward was a surprise inclusion in the starting lineup despite Asisat Oshoala’s fitness and was expected to aid Nigeria’s ball retention in dangerous areas, but failed to link up with her teammates, completing only three passes in almost an hour of play. 

Substitutes

Asisat Oshoala 6/10

Coach Randy Waldrum will certainly have to field questions about not starting Asisat Oshoala once again after the Barcelona Femeni forward came on to add some bite to the attack after replacing Onumonu close to the hour mark. 

Her positioning meant that she was a better option for her teammates after coming on and she came close to giving Nigeria a famous win, forcing England’s Mary Earps into a crucial extra time save. 

Francisca Ordega 4/10

The Super Falcons’ veteran replaced the lively Kanu when fatigue set in towards the end of the second half, but she appeared as tired as the player she came on for. 

While Francisca Ordega could not have been expected to rescue the game on her own, she did not do anything significant to aid the overall effort either. 

Onyi Echegini 5/10

Brought on at the start of extra time Onyi Echegini did not do much wrong in her 30-minute cameo. 

However, she did not significantly improve the side after coming on, which is understandable given the game state at the time. 

Desire Oparanozie 4/10

Brought on for the penalty shootout, but failed to convert from the spot when called upon. 

This sums up a disappointing World Cup for Desire Oparanozie, who missed the opening three games of the tournament through injury. 

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