Super Falcons Take Positives from Defeat Against Banyana  

Femi Solaja  

Following Monday’s defeat to rivals, Banyana Banyana of South Africa in the opening Group C match at the ongoing Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, the Super Falcons have put aside the loss as they step up preparations for the remaining matches of the tournament. 

Two goals in three minutes were all the South Africans needed to secure a third win against nine-time African champions in Rabat on Monday evening .

According to Super Falcons’ Media Officer, Oluchi Tobe-Chukwu, “we have taken the positive criticism in good faith and shrug off the momentary setback. 

“This morning (yesterday) we just rounded up our recovery training session and the players have put behind them the loss but looking ahead of the next match. The quest to retain the cup is still high and not diminished by the outcome of the opening match with South Africa,” she noted.

Nigeria will play Botswana late tomorrow (Thursday 9pm) and are condemned to win the match and perhaps the last game to Burundi to avoid any form of calculations to reach the knockout phase of the tournament. 

“We are very competitive and still hold unto hashtag ‘Going for 10th Win’ of the tournament and we hope to bounce back and compensate Nigerians,” she pledged on behalf of the players.

She also confirmed that the President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Amaju Pinnick, addressed the players after the match and boosted their morale. The defeat was a repeat of the same scenario that played out in the opening game of the last edition in Ghana with Super Falcons getting their revenge in the final shootouts with the South Africans to lift the trophy a record nine times.