Earlier in the week New Zealand suffered their own second matchday defeat against Philippines.

Australia were without injured Sam Kerr but scored first through Emily van Egmond. However poor defending saw Nigeria equalise and then pull ahead with goals from Uchenna Kanu and Osinachi Ohale.

Asisat Oshoala punished a mix-up between Australia’s Alanna Kennedy and Mackenzie Arnold and Nigeria held on, despite a late Mitaldas second from Kennedy.

Victory lifted Nigeria top of Group B, level with Canada on four points, with Australia a point adrift.

Monday’s concluding ties will see Australia needing to beat Olympic champions Canada in Melbourne while Nigeria face already-eliminated Republic of Ireland.

Group E is also heading for a tense finale after the United States needed a second-half equaliser from captain Lindsey Horan to force a 1-1 draw with Netherlands.

Jill Roord put the Dutch ahead in the 17th minute to threaten an end to the champions’ sequence of 13 successive World Cup match wins over the last three tournaments.

Savannah DeMelo and Trinity Rodman wasted openings before Horan’s equaliser kept the US in top spot in the table ahead of the Dutch on goal difference.

Netherlands coach Andries Jonker said: “We performed brilliantly, at times really fantastic. These games are battles from the first second to the last.”

Portugal beat Vietnam 2-0 in the other Group E game on Thursday and play the US next Tuesday while Netherlands face Vietnam. Portugal must win to progress while a draw will be sufficient to take the US into the last 16.

Credit: AIPS Media