“I do not believe in voodoo; I believe in God and in my girls to deliver on the pitch of play,” Super Falcons coach Randy Waldrum boasted after edging past the Indomitable Lioness of Cameroon in the Olympics qualifier.
The coach made this known after the Super Falcons mental strength was put to the test in the second half of the second leg encounter.
Persecondnews reports that a Cameroonian player attempted to place juju-like material at the Super Falcons goalpost, an act described by Deborah Abiodun as “a mere distraction.”
She said: “We believe in God, and in Him we stand; our focus is high regardless of their last-minute antics.”
On the victory, Coach Waldrum said he was “excited for the players and for the country. We made some changes due to the injury, and the players who came in did a great job.
With the temperature in Abuja at 35° affecting the overall game play, Waldrum said: “The weather is obviously hot; most of the girls are playing in Europe, so they have not played in this kind of heat in a while. Personally, I would prefer night games.”
Concerning the upcoming final qualifying game with either South Africa or Tanzania and the inability of his team to convert big chances created into goals.
Waldrum said: “It’s a big concern that we are not taking chances, but it would have been a bigger concern if we didn’t create chances.”
Deborah pointed out that “it’s a big privilege for us to represent Nigeria, and we won’t take it for granted. By God’s grace, we will overcome any team; we will not underestimate any of them, but with your maximum support and our efforts, we will get the tickets.”
Nigerian football enthusiasts will be looking forward to the game between South Africa and Tanzania in the 2024 Women’s Olympic Qualifier, Third Round, Second Leg. This game represents the sixth meeting between the teams.
Banyana defeated Tanzania 4-0 in the first leg of the third round of qualifiers.
Banyana are currently ranked second in Africa behind Nigeria, while Tanzania are currently ranked 27th on the continent and 146th in the world, and Banyana’s global ranking is 52.
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