By Harry Awurumibe, Editor, ABUJA BUREAU
Nigeria’s 31 years of reign as Africa’s Best Football Nation will face its biggest test in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire when the Super Falcons clash with Lady Elephants in the return leg final round of CAF Africa Women’s Cup of Nations (AWCON) on Wednesday.
The epic football encounter between the two West African teams which will hold at the 10, 000 capacity Stade Robert Champroux situated in Marcory, a suburb of Abidjan, the nation’s capital city promises to be a match of high expectations for Nigeria and Cote d’ Ivoire as the overall winner will not only qualify for the 2022 AWCON final billed for Morocco in July.
Four days ago, Super Falcons triumphed over the hardfighting Lady Elephants 2-0 in the first leg of the qualifier tie at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja, thanks to a brace by American-born Nigerian professional footballer, Ifeoma Chukwufumnanya Onumonu. She scored in both halves of the match.
It was the Carlifornia-girl’s first goals for her country of origin and she delivered when Super Falcons’ known goalscorers namely Desire Oparanozie, Asisat Oshoala and Uchenna Kanu who started from the bench.
With the two goals advantage, Super Falcons are now expected to consolidate the lead when the team files out at Stade Robert Champroux in Abidjan on Wednesday by avoiding a heavy defeat or conceeding more than one goal if
Nigeria will qualify for Morocco 2022.
But it will be a tough 90 minutes game for the Super Falcons because the Lady Elephants will fight like wounded beasts following their first leg loss in Abuja inspite of the hardwork they put in the encounter.
The Ivorians who eliminated Nigeria from making it to the last Olympic Games in Tokyo, although they were not able to qualify to represent Africa, will definitely come out to fight as they will also want to go to AWCON in Morocco where African representatives in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup final in Australia and New Zealand will be selected.
This is why this particular match is so important to the two countries just as two things are at stake here namely AWCON and FIFA Women’s World Cup tickets and any country that misses out in has missed all.
Indeed, it will be a winner takes all match hence there will be fireworks as both teams will throw the kitchen sink at each other in order to grind out a comfortable victory that will guarantee the AWCON ticket on Wednesday.
Having met last week in Abuja, the two teams now know the strength and weaknesses of each other and will like to exploit the loopholes. This is where the Head Coaches of Super Falcons, Randy Waldrum and Lady Elephants, Clementine Touré will take the centerstage.
Their technical and tactical prowess will determine where the victory pendulum will swing to at the end of the match on Wednesday because any coach who has superior tactics and game management will carry the day.
In fact, the result of the match will be a referendum on the two coaches as the coach of the losing team may most likely leave his or her position because there will not be any continental or global women’s football competition in the next two or three years.
For Nigeria, her 31 years reign as the No.1 Women’s Football playing nation (11-time AWCON Champion, CAF Team of the Decade, 7-time FIFA Women’s World Cup and 3-time Olympic Games appearances), may count for nothing if Super Falcons fail to qualify for both 2022 AWCON and 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup final.
The consequence of Nigeria’s failure to qualify for the continental football fiesta which has since become the birth right of Nigeria will be felt not only by the players, coaches and backroom staff but the football authorities, Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) will face the backlash of the team’s failure.
Super Falcons have themselves to blame if they fail in this assignment in Abidjan because they have qualified technical crew led by Waldrum who is being assisted by four Nigerians who have been involved in the senior team’s set up for many years.
They are Coaches Edwin Okon, one-time Head Coach; Ann Agumanu-Chiejine, ex-Super Falcons No.1 Goalkeeper; Justine Madugu, ex-Asst. Coach and Auwal Makwala, Goalkeeper trainer. They know the DNA of the Super Falcons and should advice the Head Coach well.
Luckily, the team has quality players in its fold who can make it happen at this stage that the whole nation is depending on them to deliver the 2022 AWCON ticket on Wednesday.
In the 23-strong squad selected by Waldrum to prosecute the crucial match in Abidjan are veterans of the game and Stand-in Captain Onome Ebi who played the first leg under pains; Osinachi Ohale and
ageless midfielder Rita Chikwelu.
Others are reliable goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie; midfielder Rasheedat Ajibade and the handful of overseas-born Nigerians like Onumonu, Nicole Payne, Esther Okoronkwo, Michelle Alozie and the new darling of Abuja fans defender Ashleigh Plumptre aka “Oyibo Rock”.
In all, Super Falcons are condemned to qualify for 2022 AWCON and this is a task that must done.
23 Super Falcons in Abidjan
Goalkeepers:
Tochukwu Oluehi, Chiamaka Nnadozie, Yewande Balogun
Defenders:
Onome Ebi, Osinachi Ohale, Ashleigh Plumptre, Rofiat Imuran, Oluwatosin Demehin, Michelle Alozie, Nicole Payne
Midfielders:
Rita Chikwelu, Rasheedat Ajibade, Toni Payne, Regina Otu, Peace Efih, Ngozi Okobi-Okeoghene
Forwards:
Uchenna Kanu, Francisca Ordega, Gift Monday, Christy Ucheibe, Mbadi Amanda, Ifeoma Onumonu, Esther Okoronkwo
Go Girls, Go Nigeria
