NIGERIA’S Super Falcons will begin the quest for their 10th Women’s Africa Cup of Nations title tomorrow when they face South Africa’s Banyana Banyana, with the champions’ head coach Randy Waldrum and captain Onome Ebi in positive mood.
The two top African teams will clash in the Group C opener in Rabat tomorrow as the Super Falcons look to avenge a recent defeat to the South Africans.
Banyana Banyana pulled off a major upset when they thoroughly outplayed and outscored the defending WAFCON champions 4-2 in the final match of the first edition of the Aisha Buhari Women’s Tournament in Lagos last September.
Since then, however, the Falcons have regained some of their composure, eliminating West African arch-rivals Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire in the qualifying campaign for this WAFCON and impressing in two friendlies against Canada.
“Naturally, this is a very big game and we are looking forward to it,” American Waldrum, who is attending his first WAFCON, said.
“It is also a game that should be a good advertisement for African women football. When you have Nigeria playing South Africa at the senior women level, it is a treat.
“Our objectives and expectations remain the same: to earn a ticket to the World Cup and to win the trophy. We will take it one match at a time. It is interesting to play South Africa first, and we can move ahead from there.”
Nigeria captain Ebi, who is the oldest player at the competition at 39 and has featured in five FIFA Women’s World Cup tournaments, still has ambitions of winning another WAFCON trophy and attending the 2023 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
The veteran defender is pleased the Falcons are starting the competition against a tough South Africa side, before what should be easier group fixtures against Botswana and Burundi.
“For me, it is a good thing that we are playing South Africa first. It is a strong team and that will make our team to be strong and to give our best from the very beginning,” Ebi told a pre-match press conference today.
“I have won this trophy several times but I still have the hunger to win it, and also to go to a sixth World Cup. We will look first to pick up the World Cup ticket, and then the trophy.”
Nigeria will be without first choice goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie, who is suspended for receiving yellow cards in different matches of the qualifying series (against Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire).
Israel-based Tochukwu Oluehi is expected to take her place for the Super Falcons clash against Banyana tomorrow kicking of at 6pm Nigerian time.
All the four semi-finalists at the WAFCON will represent Africa at next year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup, with the fifth-placed team vying for a spot through a playoff tournament.
