By Harry Awurumibe, Editor, Abuja Bureau
As Nigeria’s Super Falcons look to get back on track when they face world champions Spain in their second Group C match in the ongoing Paris 2024 Olympics Women’s Football Tournament at Stade de la Beaujoire in Nantes on Sunday, another loss to La Roja will make the team’s continued stay in the competition doubtful.
This is even as the tactical prowess or coaching pedigree of Falcons head coach Randy Waldrum will be under heavy scrutiny should his team lose two matches in a row especially when Nigeria’s next game is against another tough opponents Japan.
The Super Falcons lost the first match to Brazil’s Canarinhas 0-1 courtesy of Gabi Nunes’s 37th minute strike which ensured that the South American country picked all three points at stake at Metmut Atlantique stadium Bordeaux on last Thursday.
With Nigeria rooted rock bottom on the log, the clash against Spain Sunday in Nantes presents another opportunity for Super Falcons and by extention Waldrum to make amends and to ensure that they get a better result on Sunday against Spain.
This will mean that the 11-time African champions who are returning to the Olympic Games after 16 years hiatus will try not to lose to their opponents no matter what happens in the game in order not to be in a precarious situation of crashing out of the competition in a group stage.
The American-born gaffer who was hired on October 2020 by Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and has coached Falcons in the 2022 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco where Nigeria finished fourth place and taken the team to 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup Round of 16 in Australia and New, will now have to prove that four years with Falcons count for something in the Olympics which is big three continental and global competitions he has led Nigeria to participate.
However, these Nigeria and Spain are on opposite sides when it comes to recent form as Spain have perhaps been the best team in the world in the past one year, and while the Super Falcons have put up some solid performances in the last 12 months, their recent form does not inspire a lot of confidence.
On that note, will be fair to say with confident that Spain will come at Nigeria when both clash in Nantes tomorrow although it is worth mentioning that this is Spain’s first appearance at the Summer Olympics and Nigeria’s four since her debut in Sydney 2000 Olympics, Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008.
The world champions got their campaign off to a solid start with a 2-1 victory over tough opponents Japan on Thursday and as it stands, La Roja have 26 wins in their last 29 matches. They won the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, and the UEFA Nations League in that stretch.
In contrast, the Super Falcons are coming off back-to-back defeats as they have no wins and no goals scored in their last three games against South Africa in Pretoria, Canada in Spain and lately Brazil in Bordeaux.
In fact, after Nigeria’s one nil defeat by Brazil a couple of days ago, Waldrum’s troops need all the points they can get in the match against Nigeria in Nantes tomorrow even as this will be the first encounter between Nigeria’s Super Falcons and La Roja.
It will be a tough call for Waldrum’s team as because Spain boasts of world-class players who have shown consistency over time in goalkeeper Catalina Coll whose agility in the goalpost inspires confidence in her teammates.
She will be protected by four-woman defence in Ona Batlle, Irene Paredes, Maia Aleixandri and Olga Carmona while Spain will unleash the Best Women’s Footballer in the World midfielder Aitana Bonmati, winner Ballon d’Or Féminin-2021, 2022 and The Best FIFA Women’s Player: 2021.
She will be supported by Patricia Guijarro and Alexia Putellas of FC Barcelona femeni. She was the first player to win the UEFA Women’s Player of the Year Award and Ballon d’Or Féminin twice in a row, and since then she has also been crowned a world champion with Spain.
She was awarded the Ballon d’Or and The Best FIFA Women’s Player Award for the 2022–23
Yet, Spain will parade forwards: Athenea del Castillo, Salma Paralluelo and Mariona Caldentey in their preferable 4-3-3 formation which has seen the Spaniards churn out victories after victories.
A win for La Roja will see them book their place in the quarterfinals while the Super Falcons must avoid defeat on Sunday to stand a chance of reaching the knockout stages. READ ALSO:
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Luckily, all the Falcons in camp are healthy and ready to take on Spain with Waldrum growing grey hairs on who to start again amongst the 11 starters he put forward against Brazil and the four substitutes who came later on.
He may want to do things differently by bringing in Asisat Lamina Oshoala who was overlooked completely in the loss to Brazil on Thursday to start in place of Chinwendu Ihezuo who did not have a good match the last time out. Oshoala knows the Spaniards as he knew the back of her palms.
Probable Super Falcons lineup vs Spain
Super Falcons
Goalkeeper: Chiamaka Nnadozie.
Defenders: Michelle Alozie, Osinachi Ohale, Blessing Demehin, Chidinma Okeke.
Midfielders: Christy Ucheibe, Deborah Abiodun, Toni Payne.
Forwards: Rasheedat Ajibade, Jennifer Echegini, Asisat Oshoala.
Spain Team vs Nigeria
Goalkeeper: Catalina Coll.
Defenders: Ona Batlle, Irene Paredes, Maia Aleixandri, Olga Carmona.
Midfielders: Aitana Bonmati, Patricia Guijarro, Alexia Putellas.
Forwards: Athenea del Castillo, Salma Paralluelo, Mariona Caldentey.
