The Super Falcons of Nigeria in the Group D group match against Sweden forced the Swedes to a 3-3 draw, securing an equaliser at the 87th minute.     

Sweden gave up a 2-0 lead to Nigeria only for substitute Linda Sembrant to put the Europeans back in the lead, which Francisca Ordega cancelled out, to give the Nigerian side hope.

The Super Falcons came out flying in the first few minutes and had the Swedes on the back foot for much of the first quarter of an hour.

But an unfortunate own goal from Desire Oparanozie gave the Swedes the lead 20 minutes into the match. Emma Berglund’s flicked header from a corner kick was redirected into Nigeria’s net by the No9’s chest. A poor clearance off another Swedish corner made it 2-0, Nilla Fischer able to tap in to an empty net after the ball made its way through the crowd.

Nigeria’s front line staged a comeback. After the break two goals in quick succession levelled matters. Ngozi Okobi’s brilliant first touch afforded the No13 plenty of room and space before coolly firing past Hedvig Lindahl. Three minutes later, Asisat Oshoala, the golden shoe winner at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup Canada 2014 opened her account for this tournament with a fine individual effort after a well-played long ball from Onome Ebi.

Sembrant handed the lead back to Sweden after good build-up play on the left side resulted in Lina Nilsson’s cross that the substitute managed to direct past Precious Dede with her thigh.

However, Ordega salvaged a point for the Super Falcons three minutes from time with a shot that managed to slip through the legs of Lindahl, leaving matters level at 3-3

The Super Falcons have never beaten Sweden at the senior level, rather they lost 3-0 in their first clash in 2003.

The African champions shared the spoils with Sweden when both countries met at the 2007 edition of the tournament, with Cynthia Uwak levelling matters for Nigeria eight minutes from time after Victoria Svensson’s 50th minute goal.

Placed in the ‘Group of Death’ as pundits have tagged it, the Nigerian team had been tipped to crash out of Group D, which has USA and Australia as the other two countries.

Sweden are rated as the fifth-best women’s footballing nation in the world, while opponents Nigeria are far behind them in 33rd.

The Super Falcons have contested 19 games at the World Cup, winning three, drawing two and losing the rest. They progressed beyond the group phase only in 1999.