WOMEN’S WORLD CUP ROUNDUP
Nigeria 3, Australia 2
Asisat Oshoala had to watch from Nigeria's bench for an hour, desperate to get into the action, before getting a chance to unleash all her pent up energy against co-host Australia at the Women's World Cup.
The Barcelona striker entered the game in the 63rd minute and Nigeria took the lead two minutes later for the first time, 2-1. Within nine minutes, Oshoala scored a goal that sealed an upset victory, sparked her jersey-shedding celebration and left Australia in a must-win scenario for World Cup survival.
After losing, an Australian squad dealing with injuries to striker Sam Kerr and understudy Mary Fowler needs to beat Olympic champion Canada in Melbourne on Monday to control its own fate for a spot in the round of 16.
Nigeria and Canada opened with a 0-0 draw and both teams now have four points.
Australia has three from its opening 1-0 win over Ireland. Nigeria next faces winless Ireland, which is making its debut in the tournament.
Nigeria coach Randy Waldrum said he benched Oshoala at the start of the game to manage her long-term injury, but always intended to send her on when it was most needed. "She's such a force physically," Waldrum said. "She can create problems — the third goal was massive. When we talked about her role — she's like any player, she wants to be on all the time — I said 'I just have a feeling, come on for the last 30 minutes and make a difference.'"
What a feeling.
The pivotal moment against the injury-plagued Australians was in the 72nd minute when Oshoala swooped on a defensive mixup and beat three Matildas to the ball, sneaking a right-foot inside the near post from a tight angle.
She peeled off her jersey and sprinted to the right corner to celebrate scoring in three consecutive World Cups, getting a yellow card in the process.
"I'm so proud of these players. So many people didn't believe," Waldrum said. "Didn't believe in me, in the team.
"I told them after the match, keep believing."
That's something the Australians need now.
"This was a massive opportunity that we let slide," Steph Catley, who is leading the Matildas in the absence of Kerr, said in her post-match TV interview. "We created a lot of opportunities that we couldn't finish. We weren't patient enough, and we weren't clinical.
"(Nigeria) was great on the counter and they finished their chances," Catley added. "We've just got to move on as quickly as possible — on to Canada now. This is what World Cups are all about."
After controlling much of the game, Australia was stunned by the two-goal burst from Nigeria.
Australia went into the game with 10 wins in its previous 11 international matches, including an away win over European champion England, and had seven clean sheets in their previous nine games.
They had more shots on goal (28-10) and more on target (85) but missed the clinical finish of its world-class strikers and was rarely able to breach Nigeria's disciplined defense.
Australia dominated possession throughout the first half and had 10 shots on goal to one, but it was tied 1-1 at halftime after the teams traded goals in stoppage time.
Portugal 2, Vietnam 0
Telma Encarnacao scored one goal and assisted on another as Portugal defeated Vietnam, a win that ensured Vietnam will not advance to the knockout stage.
Portugal jumped ahead in the seventh minute following a quick series of decisive passes through the Vietnamese defense. Lucia Alves dropped in a perfect cross to Encarnacao at the top of the six-yard box for a simple finish.
Portugal still has a shot to advance out of the group stage but will need to win or draw against the United States, with a Netherlands loss next Tuesday against Vietnam.
In the 21st minute, Portugal turned a goal kick from Vietnam into a chance, taking possession and moving downfield. Encarnacao slipped the ball to Kika Nazareth as she raced through defenders, and the 20-year-old forward slotted the second goal of the night to the left of goalkeeper Tran Thi Kim Thanh.