Nigeria’s national women’s team the Super Falcons have a job to do and that is beating South Africa’s Bayana Bayana when they clash Friday in the first led of Olympics 2024 qualifiers.
South Africa is the banana peel the Super Falcons must avoid if they wish to return to the Olympics, which they last participated in the 2008 Games in China.
The Bayana Bayana of late have become hardnut rivals for the Super Falcons, but coach Randy Waldrum is banking on the experience and the courage the team collected at the 2023 FIFA women’s world cup to have a cutting edge.
“This team is a generational team; there is no disrespect to the other teams, the talent, and the depth that is coming into the team, which we saw in Australia (the FIFA Women’s World Cup) against some of the best teams around the world,” said the US born coach in Abuja.
“We can continue to move on and be a major player on the world stage.
This team is special, and we have the ability to be one of the best teams in the world.
“South Africa are a very good side; they are defending African champions, and we have to respect them,” he remarked.
The South Africans have been talking ahead of the match and to show they mean business, they have been quartered in Abuja since Sunday with the hope of getting a good result to take back home for the second leg in Pretoria.
Meanwhile, the Super Falcons are still expecting top striker Assist Oshoala; as at Wednesday’s morning training she was yet to report to camp for the game.
Nineteen players invited players participated in the training they include Chiamaka Nnadozie, Linda Jiwuaku, Chidinma Okeke, Shakurat Oladipo, Ohale Osinachi, Toni Payne, Uchenna Kanu, Gift Monday, Deborah Abiodun, Jennifer Echegini, Christy Ucheibe, Halimatu Ayinde, Michelle Alozie, Nicole Payne,Rashedat Ajibade, Rinsola Babajide, and Ifeoma Onumonu.