Ireland rounded out their 2023 Women’s World Cup campaign with a scoreless draw against Nigeria.
While it was the first points secured by Ireland at a Women’s world cup, the game ended in a drab affair.
The point was enough for Nigeria to finish second in the group with five points. Australia beat Canada 3-0 in the groups other game.
It means Olympic champions Canada bow out of the competition with Australia taking second place.
Vera Pauw’s Ireland played some of their best football in the tournament. Controlling the ball for long spells.
Katie McCabe had Ireland’s best chance of the game with five minutes on the clock. Heather Payne clever work down the right found Denise O'Sullivan.
O'Sullivan laid it off to McCabe, for an outside of the box shot, which whizzed wide of the post.
That was the closet Ireland came in a game of few chances.
Nigeria first opportunity arrived on 14 minutes. Oshoala got loose from Louise Quinn. The Nigerian worked an angle, but her shot went across the goal and wide.
A half-chance went a begging for Ireland on 35 minutes. McCabe dinks the ball in. Louise Quinn headed the ball it back across goal. Kyra Carussa gets a head to it under pressure but it didn’t trouble the Nigeria keeper.
Brilliant Save
Nigeria came close six minutes after the restart. In fact it was the brilliant goalkeeping by Courtney Brosnan was to the fore.
Kanu rising high to connect with a point blank header. Brosnan reacting excellently to flick the ball up onto the bar and away.
Moments later, Oshoala fizzed a low drive wide as Nigeria came into their own.
Katie McCabe attempted to repeat her Canada corner-kick 16 minutes from time. The ball ending up on the roof of the net.
In the end it finished 0—0, Ireland’s first World Cup campaign coming to a conclusion with some heads held high.
Nigeria will now meet the winner of Group D in the last-16. This will probably be England. Hosts Australia progress as group winners and will face the runner-up in group D.
