July 26, (THEWILL) – The Nigerian Women’s National Football Team, the Super Falcons, are gearing up for a challenging match at the Women’s World Cup as they face co-host Australia in their second group game of the competition.
Undeterred by the tough opening fixtures, Nigeria remains determined to maintain their unbeaten start to the tournament. With captain Onome Ebi leading the charge, the team is embracing the underdog status and are motivated to prove pundits wrong. As Ebi put it: “We like it when people don’t believe in us, so they will think we are just pushovers. That motivates the team so we’ll go out there and prove everybody wrong and make ourselves proud.”
Coach Randy Waldrum acknowledges the different challenges posed by Australia’s quick counter-attacks, but Nigeria’s solid defensive performance against Canada has instilled confidence in the team. Waldrum noted the team’s readiness for the big stage, saying: “I learned that we’re ready for the big stage. I thought the players that were there for the first time did a really good job for us, and I’m extremely impressed.”
Returning from suspension, Rasheedat Ajibade and Halimatu Ayinde will strengthen Nigeria’s lineup as they face Australia without the services of injured superstar striker Sam Kerr and her understudy, Mary Fowler. Nigeria’s journey in the Women’s World Cup has been consistent, having qualified for all nine tournaments, but progressing beyond the group stage has been a challenging hurdle they aim to overcome this time. One of the key areas of focus for the team has been defence, as they seek to rectify their vulnerability and concede fewer goals in the competition.
Michelle Alozie, Nigeria’s Houston Dash defender, harped on the team’s defensive strength: “Everyone is throwing their bodies on the line, defenders, forwards, and midfielders. We are defensively sound, and we can do that with a really big team.” Although Nigeria finished with a less-than-ideal fourth place at the Women’s African Cup of Nations, the Super Falcons have exhibited their potential by being the only African team to avoid defeat in the opening game of the Women’s World Cup.
Ebi was full of admiration for the composure and seamless integration of her younger teammates into the squad: “When I started playing, I was so scared. I don’t see that in them. They just blend into the team like they’ve been with the team forever.” With a blend of experienced players and young talents, Nigeria’s Super Falcons are determined to go into the Thursday encounter with the objective of getting a result at the final whistle.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
