Ajibade: We Will Take Our Chances Against Spain
PARIS 2024 OLYMPICS
Duro Ikhazuagbe
Ahead of today’s Paris 2024 women’s football tournament Group C clash with Spain, Super Falcons Captain, Rasheedat Ajibade has promised that Nigeria will take every opportunity needed to ensure that the nine-time African champions come out smiling.
Super Falcons lost by the odd goal to Brazil in their opening game in Bordeaux on Thursday to make this encounter a must-win one for Nigeria to stand any chance of qualifying from the group. World champions Spain defeated Japan 2-1 to stay ahead of the other teams.
Speaking ahead of the clash yesterday in Nantes, Ajibade insisted that Nigeria will not repeat the mistakes in the Brazil match.
“We missed quite a few chances against Brazil, and they took their chance. We will do our best to take our chances against Spain on Sunday, ” pledged the Atletico Madrid Femeni star.
With no injuries in camp, Super Falcons Coach Randy Waldrum is likely to stick to the team that started against Brazil on Thursday, though Michelle Alozie may start from the left back to allow Nicole Payne, who showed great spirit when she came into the game against the South Americans, to operate from the right side of defence.
Interestingly, both Nigeria and Spain will return to the Stade de la Beaujoire where the Super Eagles created a piece of World Cup history 26 years ago.
Spain were among the top-deck, pre-tournament favourites at the 1998 FIFA World Cup finals and Nigeria, who lost 1-5 to The Netherlands in a friendly few days before, the huge underdogs of the encounter in Nantes on 13th June 1998.
Fernando Hierro flashed past goalkeeper Peter Rufai from a free-kick in the 21st minute, but Mutiu Adepoju headed Nigeria level from a corner kick only three minutes after. Two minutes into the second half, Raul Gonzalez fired past Rufai as a long ball out of defence floated over and above Mobi Oparaku.
Goalkeeper Andoni Zubizaretta pushed Garba Lawal’s intended cross into his own net in the 73rd minute, and five minutes later, Sunday Oliseh scored one of the World Cup’s most memorable goals when he lashed the ball fiercely beyond the flailing arms of Zubizaretta from well outside the box.
All that is history now but the world champions who need another win to secure their place in the Last Eight of the tournament will not take anything for granted granted how Falcons pushed the Brazilians in the dying minutes of the last Thursday clash. Only a win will renew Falcons ambitions as another defeat may be costly.
