Former assistant coach of the Super Falcons, Mansur Abdulahi, as well as fans have hailed the team for weathering the storm in South Africa to book a spot in the Women’s Football Tournament of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, Primanews Sports Extra reports.
Randy Waldrum’s team achieved the feat by battling boastful Banyana Banyana to a barren draw in the Women’s Olympic Qualifying CAF second leg in Pretoria on Tuesday to qualify for the Games for the first time since 2008 1-0 on aggregate, having secured the marginal win in the first leg at Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja on Friday.
Although the road to Paris was bumpy, Abdulahi and the fans noted that the outcome of the game over both legs shows the mental capacity of the nine-time African champions.
“Nigerians are glad, Africans will be glad, and even the organisers will be glad that the Super Falcons will be at the Olympics,” Abdulahi told PRIMANEWS Sports Extra.
“I wasn’t happy when they won 1-0 in Abuja, but two games are not the same, and we did what we had to do in the second leg to get what we wanted. I’ve always had confidence in the technical team, and it is our desire to see the team qualify. I am particularly glad because three of my players at the U-20 level—Chiamaka Nnadozie, Rasheedat Ajibade, and Christy Ucheibe—are part of this team,” the Sokoto United coach added.
Following the inability of the men’s U-23 team to qualify for the Games, fans are also hoping that the Falcons will make Nigeria proud when they begin their campaign in Group C against world champions Spain, Japan, and Brazil.
“If our boys cannot go to the Olympics, our girls will be there to fly our colours and make us proud,” a fan named Adeyemi Fabunmi wrote.
Another fan, Jide Yusuf, said, “Stand up for these beautiful ladies called Super Falcons. They are the best. Let’s take the world by surprise at the Paris Olympics. Yes, we can.”
“A great deal of preparation is needed. Let the best legs play the Olympic matches. Better defending and better goal-poachers are needed to win the Olympics,” a fan with the name Chris suggested.
Some others also had their picks from the game.
“Good one; Nnadozie did the dirty work for us. Our attack seems not to be the same as we have known,” said Joshua Ikhalo.
“So glad we made it. It was tense in some moments. Off to the Olympics we go,” another fan, Olatubosun, wrote.
