Nigeria suffered the heartbreak of a penalty shootout loss to England in their 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup last-16 fixture in Brisbane on Monday, but there is plenty of evidence this is a team on the rise if it's allowed to continue to develop.
The Super Falcons created more than enough chances to beat European champion England in 120 minutes, saving their best performance of the competition for last, but in the end were twice denied by the width of the post and their nerves in the shootout following a 0-0 draw.
Through the competition they made a mockery of their world ranking of 40 with a blend of pace, power and organization.