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France thrashed heavily just days after the win against Nigeria's Super Falcons in Angers.
France's women's national football team, known as Les Bleues, faced a challenging week in international friendlies, including against Nigeria's Super Falcons, showing both their strengths and vulnerabilities.
Just days after a hard-fought victory against Nigeria's Super Falcons, France suffered a disappointing defeat against the reigning world champions, Spain, in a thrilling encounter.
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France vs. Nigeria: A Hard-Fought Battle
On November 30, 2024, France hosted Nigeria in Angers for an international friendly that served as a preparatory match for both teams ahead of upcoming tournaments.
The match was particularly significant for Nigeria, who were looking to avenge an embarrassing 8-0 loss they suffered in their last meeting with France.
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Despite being without key players like captain Rasheedat Ajibade and star forward Asisat Oshoala, Nigeria put up a commendable fight.
The game began with France asserting their dominance early on. Eugénie Le Sommer opened the scoring in the 29th minute, followed shortly by Amel Majri doubling the lead just eight minutes later.
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However, Nigeria's resilience shone through when Ifeoma Onumonu netted a consolation goal just before halftime, marking the first time Nigeria had scored against France in their history of encounters.
This goal came as a result of a swift counter-attack that caught the French defence off guard.
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Despite the loss, Nigeria's performance was encouraging given their squad's youth and inexperience at this level.
Goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie was particularly noteworthy, making several crucial saves that kept the scoreline respectable and demonstrated her potential as the Super Falcons' ultimate number one.
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The match provided valuable experience for Nigeria as they prepare for the 2025 Africa Women's Cup of Nations (WAFCON).
France vs. Spain: A Disappointing Setback
Just three days later, on December 3, 2024, France faced Spain in another friendly match that would prove to be a stark contrast to their earlier performance against Nigeria.
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The match took place in Nice and ended with Spain claiming a convincing 4-2 victory over Les Bleues. Aitana Bonmati emerged as the standout player of the match, scoring one goal and assisting another.
Spain quickly took control of the game, racing to a 2-0 lead within the first half hour. Bonmati's sixth-minute goal set the tone for Spain’s dominance, and she later assisted Claudia Pina to extend their lead further.
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Although Maria Mendez managed to pull one back for France before halftime, it was evident that Spain was operating at a different level.
The second half saw Spain restore their two-goal advantage shortly after the break. Kadidiatou Diani brought France back into contention with a goal in the 71st minute, but any hopes of a comeback were dashed when Mariona Caldentey scored Spain’s fourth goal just nine minutes from time.
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This defeat highlighted some defensive frailties within the French squad and raised questions about their readiness as they head into future competitions.
While France celebrated an initial victory over Nigeria’s Super Falcons, their heavy defeat against Spain serves as a wake-up call ahead of more significant challenges on the horizon.
For Nigeria, although they suffered another defeat against France, there were promising signs that suggest they are on an upward trajectory as they prepare for future competitions.
Both teams will need to reflect on these matches to identify areas for improvement and capitalise on their strengths moving forward.
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