Super Falcons have arrived Douala ahead of final round of the African qualifying tournament for the women’s Olympic football on Friday.
The fierce rivals of African women’s football, Nigeria and Cameroon rekindle when both team face off in the first leg.
As the best-ranked team in Africa, the Super Falcons are still full of energy after making it to the Round of 16 of the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia. They won’t forget that the Indomitable Lionesses interrupted their path to the London 2012 Olympics at kickoff.
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The Lionesses, for their part, have their own grievances as well, having been pushed aside in the quarterfinals of the most recent Women AFCON competition in Morocco and denied the Women Africa Cup of Nations title in front of their own supporters in 2016.
After an inspiring performance at the World Cup in Australia, coach Randy Waldrum has brought back fantastic defender Ashley Plumptre, who is currently stationed in Saudi Arabia. Halimatu Ayinde, Toni Payne, and Christy Ucheibe will also be reunited in the middle of the pitch. Deborah Abiodun, a gifted young woman, is another.
The Super Falcons have one of the best offensive groups in women’s football thanks to strikers Asisat Oshoala, Rasheedat Ajibade, Uchenna Kanu, Gift Monday, and Esther Okoronkwo. Nigeria’s custodian, Chiamaka Nnadozie, is regarded as one of the world’s most respected safe hands.
In the second round of the qualifications, Captain Ajibade scored two of the five goals that eliminated Ethiopia. Oshoala also scored, and in the final round of qualifiers for this year’s Women AFCON tournament, Cape Verde was destroyed by goals from Okoronkwo and Kanu.
When the situation called for it, younger stallions Tosin Demehin and Rofiat Imuran have developed into great fighters, while veteran defender Osinachi Ohale is unmatched on her day.
Star player Ajara Njoya Nchout won’t be playing for Cameroon, who defeated Uganda 3-2 on aggregate in the second round of the competition. However, one should not underestimate the creativity that the Lionesses possess within their own lair.
For the second leg, which takes place at the MKO Abiola National Stadium on Monday, both sides will board the same plane to Abuja, the administrative centre of Nigeria.
The same weekend, Banyana Banyana of South Africa will play Tanzania; the winner of the two legs will play the winner of Nigeria/Cameroon for one of the African tickets to Paris in July.
In an all-North African match, Morocco and Tunisia square off, and Zambia is hosted in Kumasi by Ghana. The winners will compete for the second African Paris ticket.