Nigeria’s Super Falcons responded to their China disappointing loss with a 4-1 hammering of European side, Romania yesterday.
Having been thrashed 3-0 at the Wuhua Olympic Sports Stadium on Thursday, the pressure was on Thomas Dennerby’s ladies to redeem themselves and they ensured they bounced back.
Late in the first half, Chinwendu Ihezuo marked her starting debut at the senior level with a goal, as her strike broke the deadlock to see the Super Falcons went into the break 1-0 up.
But the Europeans, who suffered a 3-0 loss to South Korea on Thursday, leveled matters five minutes after the restart of the game.
Dennerby urged his players on, while throwing Brighton forward, Ini-Abasi Umotong into the fray in the quest to regain the lead and they succeeded.
Onome Ebi scored in the 63rd minute to restore the lead before Rita Chikwelu and Umotong added the third and fourth inside the final 20 minutes to seal the third-place trophy.
The result will lift the spirit of the African champions, as they return to the country today (Monday) to shift focus to their next Women’s World Cup preparatory tournament in Cyprus next month.