Australia Women and Nigeria Women will continue their 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup campaign at the Suncorp Stadium on Thursday.
Tournament co-hosts Australia began their tournament with a narrow 1-0 victory over the Republic of Ireland last week. Stephanie Carley’s 52nd-minute penalty helped the Matildas claim all three points.
Nigeria, meanwhile, claimed a hard-fought point in a goalless draw against Olympic champions Canada. The Super Falcons’ goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie was the star of the show as she made a spectacular save to deny Canada captain Christine Sinclair from the spot.
The draw left Nigeria in third spot in Group B on one point, while Australia lead the way at the summit with three points to their name.
Australia Women vs Nigeria Women Head-to-Head and Key Numbers
- This will be the second meeting between the two sides. They were also paired in the group stage of the 2015 World Cup when Australia claimed a routine 2-0 win.
- Nigeria have failed to score in six of their last seven games (five losses).
- Eight of Australia’s last nine games, including each of the last five, have seen one side fail to find the back of the net.
- Australia have won 10 of their last 11 games.
- Chiamaka Nnadozie has kept a clean sheet in seven of her last 11 games for club and country.
- Nigeria are unbeaten in four games, winning three (all four games came against fellow World Cup participants).
Australia Women vs Nigeria Women Prediction
Nigeria defied expectations to claim a point against Canada, with their defensive resolve and the goalkeeping heroics of Nnadozie shutting out the world’s seventh-ranked team. Randy Waldrum’s side will hope to build on that to get another positive result in a game where they are the underdogs.
Australia could represent a bigger challenge, with the Matildas having a raucous support behind them. However, their threat has been significantly reduced by Same Kerr’s absence, with their talismanic captain ruled out of the group stage with a calf injury.
Australia cruised to victory when both sides met in the 2015 World Cup but a more mature and rounded Nigerian team might prove more of a challenge this time around.