With just few days until the kick off of Paris 2024 Olympic Games, Nigeria’s women’s national football team, the Super Falcons, will be hoping to mount a possible title challenge at the showpiece against some of the best teams in the world.
Having been grouped alongside Japan, Brazil, and Spain in the Group C, Completesports.com‘s AUGUSTINE AKHLOMEN x-rays seven things the Super Falcons must do in order to qualify from what has been tagged the ‘Group of Death’.
1. Identify Gray Areas for Improvement
Having played at the 2023 World Cup, where the team had a positive performance, losing narrowly to England in the round of 16 on penalties, it is expected that the coaches must have a few gray areas that require improvement if the team must stand toe to toe with the likes of Spain, Japan, and Brazil in Group C.
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Early preparation is also important so as to help the technical crew identify those loopholes that need the utmost attention so that they can be fixed before the competition.
2. Avoid Losing to Brazil in Opening Fixture
How far the Super Falcons will go at the Paris Olympic Games may be determined by the team’s opening game against Brazil. The Super Falcons will face Brazil on Thursday, July 25, 2024, at the Stade Matmut-Atlantique, Bordeaux, before confronting world champions Spain three days later at the Stade de la Beujoire, Nantes, and Japan on Wednesday, July 31.
No doubt, Brazil are the team to beat at the showpiece; however, the Super Falcons have shown times without numbers in the past that they can shock the world if underestimated.
The Super Falcons have the potential, going by the calibre of players featuring for clubs around the world, to get the maximum points or at least a draw against Brazil. Like they say, ‘impossible is nothing in football’.
3. Utilise the Players’ Strengths
Attempting to play like the Europeans most of the time has not really had any positive impact on the Super Falcons in major competitions. Nigeria is known for its physical approach, which blends with some skills.
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And that can be recognized during the days of Mercy Akide, Perpetual Nwokocha, Florence Omagbemi, Yinka Kudaisi, Stella Mbachu, Nkiru Okosieme, and Rita Nwadike, to mention a few, who stunned the world and made it through to the quarterfinals of the 1999 World Cup.
So, too, the current Super Falcons can apply such an approach in their Paris 2024 matches.
4. Keep the Defence Tight
There is no doubt that the Super Falcons will be facing some of the best attackers in Japan, Brazil, and Spain at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
However, the Super Falcons must be defensively solid to withstand the barrage of attacks they are very likely to face against some of these teams.
5. Oshoala, Kanu, Onumonu and Others Must Sharpen their Goal-scoring Boots
If the Super Falcons have any hope of qualifying from Group C, the strikers have a big role to play in achieving that.
Assist Oshoala has always proven herself to be one of Nigeria’s best forwards in Europe, but she has often failed to replicate it in the country’s colours. This may be the time to sharpen theie goal-scoring boots for Nigeria.
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The same goes for Ifeoma Onumonu. Gift Monday, Uchenna Kanu must also be ready to shoulder the goal-scoring responsibilities for the Super Falcons in Paris.
6. The Bench Must be Match Winners
Overdependence on players that are on the field of play must not be relied upon, but the Head Coach, Randy Waldrum, and his assistants must devise an effective means of making his players on the bench match winners as well.
Players on the bench are not made just to watch the game but to make a direct impact when the situation gets complicated.
7. Players Must be Mindful of the VAR
The Super Falcons must ensure they avoid tackles that may get the attention of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR), especially in critical areas that may result in a penalty or red card.
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