Waldrum: Why Oshoala Started from Bench Against Australia

WOMEN’S WORLD CUP

Duro Ikhazuagbe with agency report

After shocking co-hosts Australia 3-2 to move to the top of Group B of the ongoing women’s World Cup in Brisbane, Super Falcon’ Head Coach, Randy Wadrum, has given an insight on why the team’s jewel, Asisat Oshoala started from the bench.

Against the run of play and expectations, the nine-time African champions came back from a goal down to tie the match 1-1 at half time before two more goals in the second stanza moved the Super Falcons away from the Matildas.

Speaking shortly after the epic match in which the Falcons were clearly the underdogs, Waldrum revealed that keeping the Barcelona Femeni forward till the last 30 minutes of the game was strategic.

“I told Oshoala before the match that I needed her to give us the last 30 minutes. I felt very strongly she was going to get a goal, and she got the game-winning goal,” revealed the American coach to reporters covering the tournament Down Under.

He admitted that Oshoala who came to the World Cup barely recovering from injury again picked up a knock in Nigeria’s opening game with Canada that ended in a draw.

“We know Oshoala is very key to us (Falcons) and we’ve tried to be careful and manage her time.

“She came to the World Cup off a long injury sideline. And so, when she got here, we knew we had to use her in a way that will keep her in the tournament. We planned never to get her out for the entire duration of a game. But we unfortunately played her longer than we probably should have done against Canada,” Waldrum noted.

He however commended Super Falcons for the ability to come back strong after giving away the opening goal to Australia.

“I think two things happened. One is, after giving up the first goal before halftime, we were able to respond and get it back. I think that was huge from a confidence standpoint.

“We tried to sort out a little bit of a problem that (Emily) Van Egmont was causing for us in midfield, finding a lot of pockets of space. And then it was just a matter of telling the players, you know, go for it. Don’t be afraid to go out. I think the changes that we made worked out, the subs that we put in changed the game as well,” observed Waldrum.

Meanwhile, Australia coach, Tony Gustavsson, has revealed that his team’s inability to recover second balls was the major reason for losing to the Super Falcons.

“All three goals they (Nigeria) scored were because we lost the second balls. We knew that was going to be massive in this game,” Gustavsson said after the game that has left the co-host country in a precarious state of missing out of the knockout stage.

Goals from vilified Uchenna Kanu, Osinach Ohale and Oshoala sealed victory for Nigeria to go top of Group B on same four points as Canada.

Nigerian only need a draw in the final Group game with Republic of Ireland on Monday to book a place in the Last 16.

GROUP B

P. W. D. L. GF. GA. GD. Pts

Nigeria 2 1 1 0 3 2 1 4

Canada 2 1 1 0 2 1 1 4

Australia 2 1 0 1 3 3 0 3

Ireland. 2 0 0 2 1 3 -2 0

RESULTS

Australia 2-3 Nigeria

USA 1-1 Netherlands

Portugal 2-0 Vietnam