By Harry Awurumibe Editor, Abuja Bureau
The interim coach of Nigeria’s senior women’s national team Super Falcons, Justin Madugu has said that the 4-0 victory over Ethiopia in the return leg of the second round of 2024 Olympics CAF women’s football qualifier match at Moshood Abiola National Stadium Abuja on Tuesday was preplanned by the technical crew.
Nigeria recorded a heartwarming 4-0 win against Ethiopia in Abuja after the first leg tie at Abebe Bekila Stadium in Addis Ababa last week ended 1-1 as Nigeria qualified for the third round on 5-1 goals aggregate to set up an epic clash with arch-rivals Cameroon next.
Madugu told Prompt News exclusively that he put heads together with coaches Ann Agumanu-Chiejine and Auwal Makwalla to plot the defeat of Ethiopia after the Super Falcons drew in the first leg last week hence they tweaked the lineup by making two changes to the team that played out a 1-1 draw at the Abebe Bekila Stadium, Addis Ababa with defender Rofiat Imuran and attacker Ifeoma Onumonu replacing Nicole Payne and Gift Monday respectively.
All other players retained their starter shirts. They include goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie; defenders Tosin Demehin, Michelle Alozie, Akudo Ogbonna and Peace Efih.
Midfielders Rasheedat Ajibade and Toni Payne as well as attackers Asisat Oshoala and Uchenna Kanu.
This is even as Ethiopian coach Firew Hailegebriel maintained the team that forced Nigeria to a 1-1 draw last Wednesday back home, believing that his team will be able to hold their more illustrious opponents again in Abuja and probably frustrate them to make costly mistakes that may lead to their downfall.
But Madugu revealed that he and his colleagues had instructed the players to manage the game better than they did in Addis Ababa with the clear plan to score more goals at home, adding that they were asked to conserve energy due to the condition of the Moshood Abiola National Stadium Abuja playing surface which he said did not favour the foreign-based stars.
The Super Falcons started the game on the front foot but dominance didn’t result in an early goal, no thanks to top striker Oshoala’s in ability to convert on two occasions, as the 11-time African champions waited till the last minute of the first half to break the deadlock when Kanu scored the opener in the 45th minute with a good finish from a pass by Tosin Demehin.
The goal elicited wide jubilation in the stadium as a handful of home fans including the Minister of Sports, Senator Ewan Enoh and leadership of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF)- Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau, Chief Felix Anynsi-Agwu, Rt. Hon. Margaret Ichen and Dr. Mohammed Sanusi among others who were watching from the stands applauded the beauty of Kanu’s goal.
According to Madugu, the players were told what they did wrong in the first stanza and were encouraged to implement the game plan which was to deny the opponents ball, use the spaces and skills to overwhelm the Lucy who sat back throughout the first half of the match.
Based on the above the second half was quite different from the first as the ever-present team at the FIFA Women’s World Cup came out forcefully and doubled the lead five minutes into the half when a rejuvenated Oshoala set up stand-in captain Ajibade to score Nigeria’s 2nd goal in the 50th minute. READ ALSO:
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The FC Barcelona feminin star stepped up her game by running into space and rose up the highest in the box to head in Kanu’s cross from the left wing to gift Nigeria her third goal in the 68th minute before Ajibade completed her brace in the 72nd minute with Nigeria’s fourth goal which sealed a 5-1 win on aggregate.
The win marked Nigeria’s biggest win in one year after their 4-0 win over Burundi in the final group game of the 2022 Women’s African Cup of Nations with goals from Ajibade, Efih, and Kanu (brace) on July 10.
Nigeria will next take on Cameroon in the third round of the qualifiers in February 2024.
