Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Guardian Nigeria
Published on 2024-04-11 02:14:40
In preparation for the most recent FIFA Women’s World Cup, which was co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand, the Super Falcons of Nigeria suffered a 0-2 defeat to Japan in a friendly match at the Noevir Stadium in Kobe. This defeat, which took place in October 2022, marked the third time that the Super Falcons had been defeated by the Nadeshiko. The Nigerian team had previously managed to defeat Japan once in 2004 during their first meeting at the Olympic Games in Athens, Greece. In the friendly match in Kobe, the Super Falcons were outplayed and overwhelmed by the Japanese team, who maintained control of the game throughout.
After missing out on three consecutive editions of the Olympic Games in London 2012, Rio 2016, and Tokyo 2020, the Super Falcons secured qualification for the Paris 2024 Olympics by playing to a 0-0 draw against the Banyana Banyana of South Africa in Pretoria. They had previously achieved a 1-0 victory in Abuja. Nigeria has been drawn into Group C for the Paris Olympics, where they will face former world champions Japan, current titleholders Spain, and powerhouse Brazil. To navigate their way out of this challenging group, former international player and ex-coach Adegoke Adelabu emphasizes the importance of evaluating the team’s past performances, playing to instructions, and ensuring that tactical strategies align with the players’ potential abilities.
Adelabu suggests that the coaches study tapes of their opponents to understand their strengths and weaknesses. Furthermore, he emphasizes the significance of psychological preparedness through relevant training principles to enhance the team’s endurance capacity. He highlights the importance of being physically fit to disrupt opponents’ plays if they are technically or tactically superior. Former Nigerian volleyball player Faustina Phillips advocates for merit-based team selection, regardless of tribal or ethnic background, as a way for the Super Falcons to succeed in the challenging Group C at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Looking back on past encounters between the Super Falcons and Brazil, one memorable match was the quarterfinal tie at USA ’99. The Nigerian team, under the leadership of the late coach Ismaila Mabo, staged a remarkable comeback from a 0-3 deficit to level the score at 3-3, only to lose to a golden goal in the 104th minute. This historic match serves as a testament to the Super Falcons’ determination and fighting spirit in the face of formidable opponents.
