By Harry Awurumibe, Editor, Abuja Bureau
A week away from the April crucial Paris Olympics Women’s Football Tournament CAF qualifiers final round double-header between Nigeria and South Africa, Super Falcons camp is yet to come alive even as their opponents, Banyana Banyana will Monday start close camping in Pretoria, political capital of South Africa.
Prompt News can confirm that Super Falcons head coach Randy Waldrum is yet to make his roster public two weeks after his South African counterpart, Desiree Ellis released the provisional list of 29 players to prosecute the two matches against Nigeria, although two players have withdrawn from the team.
Also, Waldrum has not disclosed when the Super Falcons will start close camping for the two important matches.
The first leg tie billed for Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja on Friday, April 5, 2024 while the return leg will take place at Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria on April 9, 2024.
Unfortunately, Waldrum who is also the head coach of University of Pittsburgh women’s soccer club, the Panthers may not be available in Nigeria for early preparations for the two crucial matches because his team has a crowded schedules as he leads the collegiate soccer team to 2024 Women’s Soccer Spring Schedule in Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) with his side playing a game at Ohio State University in Columbus on March 29.
He is also expected to lead the Panthers to another match against Lafayette College, Easton, Pennsylvania women’s soccer team in what has been tagged PA Classic on Saturday, April 6, 2024 which is a day after Nigeria versus South Africa tie in Abuja before hosting West Virginia University on April 13 at Ambrose Urbanic Field, the Panthers home ground.
With the above tight schedule, Waldrum who also skipped Nigeria’s crucial Olympics qualifiers double-header against Ethiopia in Addis Ababa and Abuja and Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) final round qualifiers against Cape Verde in Abuja and Praia respectively even when he was still under contract with the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) last year and early this year may not be favourably disposed again to lead Super Falcons in the two matches.
Meanwhile, South African Ellis is already looking ahead of the first leg tie in Abuja on April 5 as she reckoned getting a favourable result in the first leg would be crucial to her side’s securing a place at the Olympics.
“I think the first leg is going to be key and important for us to get a good result there to take the pressure off coming home because they [Nigeria] are a quality team. There are no two ways about it,” Elis told SABC Sports recently.
“We cannot take it likely. We know that if we don’t concentrate for the full 90 minutes, we will get punished.
“If you don’t take your chances, they might get one and put it away. We have to make sure we outscore them and don’t concede. We are going to create chances no matter the team we play but have to convert them.”
