By Harry Awurumibe, Editor Abuja Bureau
As Nigeria’s Super Falcons file out on Thursday to confront Group C leaders, Botswana in the second match at Complexe Moulay Hassan in Rabat by 9 pm Nigerian l time, the defending champions are condemned to win the match or face early exit from the competition.
This is even as a second defeat by Lady Zebras of Botswana who thrashed Burundi 4-2 in their first match of the tournament will spell doom for the 9-time WAFCON winners.
Still reeling in the 2-1 loss to South Africa’s Banyana Banyana in the group opener on Monday, the Nigeria team has also been hit by injury as “super star” Asisat Lamina Oshoala been ruled out of the on-going 2022 TotalEnergies WAFCON in Morocco.
Four-time African Player of the Year and FC Barcelona femini forward suffered a Grade 2 Medial Collateral Ligament strain in the eighth minute of their opening Group C game against South Africa on Monday.
Oshoala received on-field treatment and returned to the field of play until she was substituted in the 82nd minute by Francesca Ordega.
Prompt News can confirm that Oshoala has been ruled out of the tournament, although Super Falcons Head Coach Randy Waldrum has declined to comment on her absence as the 9-time record African champions prepare to take on Botswana in their second tie at the tournament Thursday.
The American soccer tactician, however, revealed that, “We are definitely going to make some changes from our first game. The atmosphere in camp is good and we have regrouped. We want to win our next game.”
Nigeria currently sit third in Group C behind table leaders Botswana and second-placed South Africa who both won their opening games.
Meanwhile, Head Coach of Botswana national team, Gaolethloo Nkutwisang and captain Bonan Otlhagile have both expressed their optimism that they will not allow Nigeria run riot in the match.
Both believe that Botswana has all it takes to stand toe to toe with Nigeria despite the quality the West Africans possess and their pedigree in Africa.
However, it is a match Super Falcons should use to bounce back to reckoning by adopting a different game plan from the one used by the team which did not work in the game against South Africa.
Elsewhere, South Africa and Burundi will take to the field by 6 pm and a win for the Banyana Banyana will take them to the second round of the competition while another loss by Burundi will put them in a peril.
