Nnadozie shootout heroics help Paris FC send Arsenal out of UEFA Women’s Champions League

Super Falcons goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie proved her mettle as one of the best in the world as she helped her French club Paris FC Feminines to claim a 4-2 penalty shootout win over Arsenal Ladies. The win sent the French side into the second round of the UEFA Women’s Champions League.

The French outfit were up against English giants and last season’s semi-finalists Arsenal in the first round of the UEFA Women’s Champions League, with Nnadozie starting between the sticks.

The Nigerian star was kept busy for most of the opening exchanges as Arsenal looked to impose their superiority on the French side. The Super Falcons captain was, however, a shining light for her side as she kept the game scoreless for the opening 45 minutes.

Paris FC flew out of the blocks in the second half, and Mathilde Bourdieu opened the scoring in the 56th minute. Less than a minute later, the forward took advantage of confusion in the Arsenal ranks to head home her second and double the lead, stunning the English side.

Arsenal Ladies coach Jonas Eidevall made four changes immediately after, including sending on new signing Alessia Russo. The changes turned the tide of the game in favour of the Gunners, and Russo pulled one back in the 80th minute.

Defender Jen Beattie was sent on as a substitute for Arsenal in the 93rd minute, and she scored the equaliser three minutes later to send the game to extra time.

Paris FC found a goal at the start of the second period of extra time through Louise Fleury to give them the lead before Russo fired home and excellent effort in the 116th minute to make it 3-3 and send the game to penalties.

Nnadozie came up big in the shootout, saving excellently from Russo and Frida Maanum to help her side secure a 4-2 shootout win.

Paris FC will now face one of Sweden’s Linkoping or Ukraine’s Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih for a place in the group stage of the 2023-24 UEFA Women’s Champions League.