Nigeria celebrate their only goal of the tournament

Nigeria's women were beaten 3-1 by Brazil on Tuesday at the Workers' Stadium in Beijing in their final group game at the Olympics.

The result left the Super Falcons at the bottom of the group with three defeats from three matches, and eliminated from the tournament.

Nigeria were first to score, with a 19th-minute penalty driven home by Perpetua Nkwocha.

But Cristiane went on to bag a first-half hat-trick, as Brazil finished top of the group.

Her first was a powerful header in the 33rd minute, then two minutes later she scored with a stunning overhead kick.

The hat-trick was completed at the end of the first half with a shot after she was unmarked inside the penalty area.

Nigeria tried a few long-range shots after the break, but the best chance of the half fell to Cristiane.

The Brazilian forced a finger-tip save from Nigeria keeper Precious Dede with a shot from the edge of the area in the 65th minute.

Nigeria were dangerous on the break with Sarah Michael and Ifeanyi Chiejine causing trouble for the Brazilian defenders.

Germany also went through to the quarter-finals, after beating North Korea 1-0 in Shanghai.

The three defeats for the Super Falcons mean that they have failed to improve on the 2004 Olympics, where they reached the quarter-finals.

But in a very difficult group, they performed with credit, though their strikers often let them down.

Nigeria line-up: Precious Dede, Efioanwan Ekpo, Perpetua Nkwocha, Onome Ebi, Ifeanyi Chiejine, Sarah Michael (Stella Mbachu 70), Rita Chikwelu (Edith Eduviere 85), Cynthia Uwak, Christie George (captain), Faith Ikidi, Ulumma Jerome

Booked: Cynthia Uwak, Efioanwan Ekpo

Att: 50,000