By Harry Awurumibe, Editor, Abuja Bureau
Nigeria’s Super Falcons will face a tough battle as their opponents in Wednesday’s international friendly match billed for Seville, Spain in preparation for the Paris 2024 Olympics Women’s Football Tournament, Canada have fired a warning signal with a 2-1 victory over Australia at Marbella Football Center at the weekend.
Goals by two forwards Nichelle Prince and Evelyn Viens in the 41′ and 85′ respectively cancelled out Australia’s Sophia Freier 23′ goal in the encounter which Canada fired 19 shots at Australian goalpost with six on target and six corner kicks too while the Matildas had only one shot on target and no corner kick all through the 90′ game.
Head coach Beverly Priestman set up the reigning Olympic champions to dominate the game, although Australia had better possession, passes and pass accuracy on the day and still lost the match to Canada.
Super Falcons coach Randy Waldrum now has his job cut out for him as he will unleash his Olympics first team squad on Canada on Wednesday’s friendly match to test their match readiness and adaptability to his preferred tactics to be adopted in Paris in a fortnight.
The two countries played out a 0-0 draw in the group phase of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand just as both teams had played 2-2 in April 12, 2022 after Canada humiliated Nigeria 2-0 three days earlier in two-match international friendly at BC Place in Vancouver, Canada.
The friendly against Canada in Sevilla on Wednesday will be the last grade A match before
the Super Falcons will fly into France on Thursday, July 18, exactly a week to their tournament opening match against more illustrious opponents Brazil at the Stade Bordeaux. READ ALSO:
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Their two other games in the group phase, against world champions Spain and former FIFA Women’s World Cup winners Japan in that order, will take place at the Stade de la Beaujoire in Nantes.
