National women’s team of Nigeria, the Super Falcons, will return to this year’s Summer Olympic Games in Paris for the first time since the Beijing 2008 Games in China and aficionados here highlight what the coach Randy Waldrum-led side must do to excel even after being drawn in a tough Olympic Football Tournament(OFT) group, writes TUNDE LIADI
Nigerians heaved a sigh of relief on Tuesday’s night after the Super Falcons secured a ticket to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games Women’s Football Tournament following their 1-0 aggregate victory over reigning African Champions, Banyana Banyana of South Africa.
It has been a tortuous return to the quadrennial competition for the Nigerian side since their last participation at the Beijing 2008 Olympics after being edged to last three editions by Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea and Cote d’Ivoire.
It was not an easy ride before the Super Falcons sealed the Olympics ticket with the goalless draw in Pretoria on Tuesday.
Nigeria was pitched against Ethiopia in the second round and they beat the East Africans 5-1 on aggregate. Next came Cameroon’s Indomitable Lionesses who denied the team a place at the London 2012 Olympics. They fell 1-0 on aggregate before the Banyana Banyana also succumbed to the Super Falcons on a similar 1-0 aggregate win in the final round.
An excited coach Randy Waldrum after praising his team doggedness and professionalism throughout the qualifiers, has appealed to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and the Sports Ministry to ensure that his side prepare professionally to be able to challenge for a medal at the 2024 Olympic Games women’s football tournament.
Both Nigeria and Zambia will represent Africa at the Olympics following their wins over South Africa and Morocco as the qualifiers wound up on Tuesday and Waldrum opined that only a good preparation will see Nigeria compete better against Spain, Japan and Brazil in Group C at the Olympics in Paris.
“I am extremely proud. It has been 16 years since Nigeria last participated at the Olympics so it is a big accomplishment for us to come in here on the road and do all what we had to do to a result,” the 67-year-old American who led the Super Falcons to an impressive outing at the last Women’s World Cup held in Australia and New Zealand noted.“ We were very good defensively.
“I would have liked to create a little more offensively but one thing this won’t allow us is some training time and actual camp where we could train and prepare and work a little more on our game model. But I am just proud of these players and what they have accomplished for Nigeria. I know the Nigeria Football Federation, the Sports Minister and everybody back home would be very happy.
Speaking further, Waldrum noted that Nigerians should not to expect too many changes to the team that prosecuted the qualifiers, adding he is open to improve the squad with players who will help fill the missing links in the team.
He added: “It may be this exact team or maybe not but we will still continue to train and prepare the group. We are always going to look for players who are going to help us to the next level. I really like our team. We have been very good since the World Cup, we have only conceded two goals in about eight games. We conceded the goals against Australia in just one game.
“We have been very good defensively. We just have to put in a little more work offensively and be a little more precise around the goal area. With some training opportunities, I believe we shall be able to do that.”
Ranked 36th in the world, Nigeria will return to the Olympics for the first time since 2008 and Waldrum is making a passionate appeal to the NFF and the Sports Ministry to cogitate on what must be done for the Super Falcons to go as far as possible at the Olympics.
“Now my plea and challenge is to the Minister of Sport and to the federation – to help us prepare properly,” Waldrum said.”We need a camp in Europe to prepare for the group that we have – we need proper training, we need proper transportation.
“We need to do things right because these women deserve this opportunity to represent our country of Nigeria in the best possible way.”
Nine times continental champions Nigeria will be making their fourth appearance at the Olympics, with their best previous result a quarter-final exit in Athens in 2004.
The Super Falcons reached the last 16 at the Women’s World Cup last year, losing to eventual runners-up England on penalties.
“With this field being small in the Olympics, every team is a top team “Waldrum added. “And if you look at our group, again – like the World Cup – it’s the group of death, so to speak.
“Sixteen years without qualifying is a long time and I am extremely proud of the girls. There is work to be done when it comes to our attack, and we will improve before heading to France.”
While congratulating the Super Falcons for breaking the 16-year-old jinx of not playing at the Olympic Games, stakeholders are harping on early and quality preparations to ensure that the team do not make just mere appearance in Paris in what would be the country’s fourth appearance at the quadrennial event,
Former Super Falcons skipper Desire Oparanozie could not contain her excitement at Nigeria’s qualification for the Olympics for the first time in 16 years , adding she is happy that the team has broken the jinx.
“Honestly I am extremely happy and excited for the Super Falcons,” the vastly travelled former Nigeria international with stints in Russia, Germany, Turkey, France, China and amongst other countries, said.
“ It has been a very long time amounting to 16 years of not playing at the Olympics is a big deal. I am happy for the team.
“I have played virtually everything and it is the Olympics that I was not opportune to play in having the team to experience that is everything.”
Despite Nigeria’s 16-year-long absence, Oparanozie is confident that the Super Falcons will be able to contest against the rest of the world at Paris 2024 after their remarkable performance at 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand where they were unbeaten in four matches against Republic of Ireland, Canada, Australia and England.
She said the Falcons would use the Olympics to further showcase themselves to the world even as she enjoined the NFF and the Sports Ministry to do the needful with good preparation and quality test games so that the girls are mentally and psychologically ready for the competition through a
“I feel they will do well in France at the Olympics,” Oparanozie continued. “We (Super Falcons) have exhibited this habit of doing well at international stage in recent time and this one won’t be an exception because the girls would want to show what they are made of.
“We are in a tough group. Spain are the current world champions while Japan are former champions and Brazil women’s team are household name. Nigeria is also a force to reckon with. “I feel it is going to be a tough group but I believe in these girls and I know they will like to make name for themselves at the Olympics in France,” she added.
Current Sokoto United head coach and Falconets Assistant coach, Mansur Abdullahi has also reiterated that early camping would help the Falcons to get their rhythms in France during the Olympics.
“Super Falcons need to be in camp before the start of the Olympics so that the coaches will have time to work with the players and correct their lapses,” Abdullahi said. “One of the lapses I noticed is lack of conversion of most scoring opportunities. They need to convert their chances better than they are doing at present.
“The Sports Ministry must help to ensure the girls get to the camp on time to train and prepare as a team. They need quality friendly games too to assess the level of their preparations. It is possible to get a medal at the Olympics based on the team’s performance at the last World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.”
Also speaking in the same vein, former Super Falcons winger, Stella Mbachu praised the resilience of the Super Falcons over both legs against the Banyana Banyana.
Mbachu who took part in all Nigeria’s past three Olympic Games’ appearances between 2000 and 2008 in Sydney, Athens and Beijing, told NationSport that she’s thrilled that the gap between the Super Falcons and their counterparts across the world has narrowed down considerably with their performance at the 2023 World Cup and even in recent friendly games.
She nonetheless suggested that for Nigeria to go far, the football authorities must not joke with the Super Falcons’ preparations before the trip to Paris, adding it is important for the girls to have friendly games against tough opposition to gauge their strength and weaknesses.
“My joy knew no bounds on Tuesday night at the end of the game in Pretoria where we got a goalless draw. One would think the South African have things to their advantage with the way they boasted before the return leg game. I am happy that the Falcons made them to swallow their pride,” Mbachu, a veteran of three World Cup finals, said.
“Now that we have qualified, our emphasis should be on preparing well and having quality friendly games played before the Olympics. Falcons can go far because they showed the world what they are made of last year at the World Cup but good preparation would provide the basis for good performance.”
The women’s football tournament at the 2024 Olympic Games begins on 25 July, a day before the opening ceremony in Paris, with the final on 10 August.
