Super Falcons star scores clutch penalty to win Perth Cup final

Published on by Andrew Randa, updated on

Super Falcons forward Jennifer Echegini made an impressive start with her new team, Paris Saint-Germain Femini, scoring the only goal of the game to secure a 1-0 victory over Manchester City Women in the Perth International Football Cup.

This win gave PSG their first piece of silverware ahead of the 2024/25 season and added a promising highlight to Echegini's burgeoning career.

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Photo by PSG

Echegini, who recently featured for the Nigeria women's national team at the Paris Olympics, show class and composure under pressure in this tightly contested match held at HBF Park in Australia.

Super Falcons forward Jennifer Echegini comes up big for PSG

With the game seemingly headed for a penalty shoot-out after a scoreless 90 minutes, the decisive moment came just before the final whistle.

In the 88th minute, City defender Kerstin Casparij made a late challenge on PSG substitute Tara Elimbi Gilbert in the box, prompting referee Ghirardello to award a penalty to PSG.

Echegini holds nerves to score from the spot

Echegini stepped up confidently and converted from the spot, firing past City goalkeeper Khiara Keating to give the French side the lead.

Despite City’s efforts to equalize through the likes of Chloe Kelly and Mary Fowler, PSG’s defense, bolstered by an excellent performance from goalkeeper Katarzyna Kiedrzynek, held firm.

 Super Falcons star Jennifer Echegini in action for Nigeria at the Olympics
Photo by IMAGO

Their resilience ensured they were crowned the inaugural Perth International Football Cup champions with a 1-0 victory.

PSG Femini now looks forward to their first official match of the season, scheduled for September 18 or 19, in the second preliminary round of the UEFA Women's Champions League, with Echegini expected to play a key role in their campaign in her debut season with the French side.

Super Falcons star scores clutch penalty to win Perth Cup final

Andrew Randa

Andrew Randa is a veteran Nigerian sports journalist with over 20 years of experience covering the beautiful game across Africa. Andrew served as a Media Officer for Nigeria's U-20 Men's National Team for three years, offering a unique perspective on the future stars of Nigerian football.

Beyond reporting, Andrew is a pioneer in sports graphics creation within Nigeria. His expertise extends to sports kit design, making him a true multi-faceted talent in the African sports landscape.

Andrew's experience is vast, with collaborations encompassing prestigious names like Kickoff, SuperSport, the NFF (Nigeria Football Federation), and the NPFL (Nigeria Professional Football League)