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Waldrum Unfazed Super Falcons to Play England in Last 16
*Disappointed Nigeria didn’t win all three points against Ireland
Duro Ikhazuagbe
Shortly after Nigeria’s Super Falcons booked their place in the Last 16 stage of the ongoing FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brisbane, Australia on Monday with a goalless draw with Republic of Ireland, Head Coach of the team, Randy Waldrum, expressed disappointment that his wards failed to get victory in the game.
Asisat Oshoala and Uchenna Kanu were the biggest culprits with unpardonable slips that denied Nigeria another victory at this tournament.
Speaking during the post-match interview on SuperSport, Waldrum insisted that Falcons deserved to walk away with all three points instead of the one point they got in the draw with Ireland.
“I was actually disappointed in the second half because we could have won the match. So it almost feels disappointing that we didn’t get the result, the three points,” observed the American gaffer who was hounded by the local sporting media for the drift the nine-time African champions have experienced under his watch.
He however admitted that all that mattered was Nigeria qualifying for the knockout rounds via the goalless draw with Ireland.
Asked if he was scared Nigeria may likely play England in the Round of 16, Waldrum said Falcons will not fret over whichever team that they are lined up to meet. “If it is England, it is the European champions. We ‘ve already played the Olympic gold medalists (Canada). We have also already played the co-host nation (Australia). So it is just going to be another one of those matches that we have already been playing in.”
Nigeria finished as runners up on five points behind Australia that hammered Canada 4-0 to top Group B on six points. Canada finished on four points with Ireland fourth on just one point.
This qualification is the third time that Falcons will reach the knockout phase of the tournament. They did first in 1999 in USA and at the 2019 edition in France.
Nigeria will play England who are likely winners of Group D while Australia will battle either Denmark or China as runners.
Even with nothing to play for, the Irish ladies gave Nigeria a scare, dominating the game all through the first half.
Falcons came strongly into the second half after the break but Nigeria’s Barcelona Femeni star, Oshoala appeared off duty.
She wasted two clear chances with only Ireland goalkeeper Courtney Brosnan to beat. Oshoala was not her lively self.
Same as Kanu, Toni Payne and Rasheedat Ajibade. Payne was holding on to the ball for too long, with several inaccurate passes dominating the Nigerian game.
In the backline, Ashleigh Plumptre and Mitchelle Alozie created too many moments of anxieties with Ireland’s Captain Katie McCabe, Sinead Farrelly and Heather Payne easily slicing through the Nigerian backline at will.