JIM SLATER, Landover | Friday 3.30pm.
NIGERIAN coach Ismaila Mabo ripped FIFA and Colombian referee Martha Toro Pardo and after an 87th-minute ejection contributed to the Super Falcons’ quarter-final ouster.
Brazil’s Sissi scored a “golden goal” on a free kick in the 104th minute of over-time for a dramatic 4-3 triumph over a 10-woman Nigerian team on Thursday to claim a semi-final berth in the Women’s World Cup.
Cidinha scored in the fourth and 22nd minutes and Nene’s goal in the 35th put Brazil ahead 3-0. But Nigeria equalized behind Prisca Emeafu’s 63rd-minute goal, Nikiru Okosieme’s rebound goal nine minutes later and Nkechi Egbe’s 85th-minute marker.
But Patience Avre received her second yellow card and was ejected in the 87th minute, leaving the African champions to struggle. “It is unfortunate,” Mabo said. “I don’t want to hammer on the referee but I thought it was deliberate intention to ruin my team. The offense she committed was not even a warning offense. (Pardo) went ahead in order to destroy the team.”
Asked if he would protest, Mabo said, “For Africa and Nigeria, we will never do such a thing. We would never complain to FIFA.” Brazil coach Wilson de Oliveira Rica agreed the ejection was a turning point, saying, “When she went out of the game, a big piece of Nigeria went out of the game. She was the heart of their team.”
De Oliveira Rica was impressed, if also somewhat dismayed, by the Africans’ rally. “I want to thank Nigeria for putting up such a good fight and showing how much African soccer has developed,” he said. “This result proves you cannot take for granted a team at this stage of the tournament.”–AFP