***As Oshoala leads Nigeria attack
By Harry Awurumibe, Editor Abuja Bureau
After forcing Lucy of Ethiopia to a 1-1 draw at Abebe Bekila Stadium, Addis Ababa last week in the first leg second round of the 2024 Paris Olympics women’s football African qualifiers, Nigeria’s Super Falcons will attempt to complete the job by winning on the home turf when they file out today for the return leg tie at Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja by 4 pm.
In the years past, the 11-time African champions, Nigeria will trample on any African opposition but the years of free-scoring by the Super Falcons have long passed as African oppositions are even more dangerous than playing against overseas teams.
Perhaps, Super Falcons can testify to the fact that they were bullied on the field of play by the Lucy in Addis Ababa if the tackles and shoving aside they received from the Ethiopian players are anything to rely upon.
The host team played rough on their more illustrious opponents and got away with it.
But this Africa and faint-hearted can not play African football so it is incumbent on the Super Falcons to buckle up and face the East Africans squarely in Abuja and grind out a win which can guarantee a place in the next round of the Olympics qualifiers.
In the absence of head coach Randy Waldrum who preferred to coach his country’s university women’s soccer club in a local competition to lead Nigeria’s senior women team in Olympics qualifiers, Nigerian assistant coaches Justin Madugu, Ann Agumanu-Chiejine and Auwal Makwalla have put the 20 players in camp through their paces with the last training session at the main bowl of Moshood Abiola National Stadium Abuja yesterday under the floodlight lasting for more than two hours.
Interim head coach of the Super Falcons, Madugu has assured that the players will bring out the best in them by playing differently from how they individually and collectively played in Addis Ababa last week, pointing out that circumstances including jet lag may have contributed to the low output of the his players.
According to him, the players spoke to themselves after the match in Addis Ababa and resolved to show the quality that they displayed during the last FIFA Women’s World Cup final in Australia and New Zealand, adding that he believe they will match words with action in Abuja today.
“We have trained and have reviewed our last performance. Everyone is on the same page that we have to take the Ethiopians serious and if we must win, we have to show our quality.
“The players have responded well to training and we do not have injury worries, so we look forward to the match and believe we can beat Ethiopia”, Madugu told Prompt News in Abuja.
After missing from the last three straight Olympic Games women’s football competition, Nigeria desperately wants to go to Paris Olympics.
The last time Nigeria featured in the women’s football event was at 2008 Beijin Olympic Games in China where the team crashed out in the group stage after losing woefully to Brazil, Germany and North Korea to finish bottom of Group F.
The team was to miss the London 2012, Rio 2016 and and Tokyo 2020 Olympics after being eliminated by Cameroon twice and Cote d’Ivoire in African qualifiers to make the return leg match a must win by Super Falcons if they hope to make it to Paris Olympic Games in 2024.
Fortunately, Nigeria’s armada of foreign-based stars led by reigning African Best Women’s Footballer Asisat Lamina Oshoala will want to go to Paris Olympics hence she has to replicate her FC Barcelona women’s team form by scoring goals for the Super Falcons like she does for club.
Meanwhile, the start list sighted by Prompt News showed Oshoala, Uchenna Kanu and Ifeoma Onumonu will lead the attack while Rasheedat Ajibade, Peace Efih and Toni Payne will operate in the midfield just as Oluwatosin Demehin, Michelle Alozie, Rofiat Imuran and Akudo Ogbonna will protect first choice goalkeeper Chiamaka Cynthia Nnadozie.
On the bench are goalkeepers Tochukwu Oluehi and Oyono Monle; Omorinsola Omowunmi. Monday Gift,
Onyenezide Esther, Alani Jumoke, Folorunsho Comfort, Ajakaye Opeyemi and Payne Nicole.
