Sport
USA win Summer Series 2021 after beating Nigeria in their final game
Four –time world champions USA defeated African champions Nigeria 2-0 in the last game of the 2021 Summer Series at the
admirable Q2 Stadium in Austin, Texas, USA on Wednesday. Time
difference meant the game started 2am Thursday in Nigeria.
The Super Falcons lost their opening game of the Series to the
Jamaicans by a lone goal on 10th June and had to come from behind to
muscle a 3-3 draw against Portugal in the second match three days
later. Both games took place in Houston, also in the State of Texas.
The Falcons were up against a US Women National Team that had not lost
in dozens of matches and could not readily remember the last time they conceded a goal.
Nigeria’s Head Coach, Randy Waldrum, made only one change from the
pulsating draw with Portugal on Sunday, with Esther Okoronkwo taking
the place of new discovery Ifeoma Onomonwu.
Christian Press scored the Americans’ first goal in time added-on in
first half with an assist from Carli Loyd. The goal came after several
brilliant saves by Super Falcons’ number one Tochukwu Oluehi, who was
kept very busy in the opening half.
In the second half, Waldrum introduced Akudo Ogbonna, Charity Adule
and Gift Monday at different times to rejuvenate the play of the
nine-time African champions, but this effort did not curtail the
high-octane stance of the American girls.