Nine time African champions, Super Falcons will go head to head against biggest rival -South Africa on Monday evening (today 6pm WAT) in the first game of group C in Morroco.

Four times runners up, Bayana Bayana beat the Super Falcons 4-2 at the final of the maiden edition of the Aisha Buhari Women’s Tournament in Lagos.

However, the Super Falcons are planning on revenging the home soil defeat in Morroco today.

Super Falcons captain, Onome Ebi believes that the team are good and ready to win the tournament for the 10th time. The 39-year-old is the oldest player in the tournament and will be ready to use her experience to guide this team to glory.

“For me, it is a good thing that we are playing South Africa first. They are a strong team and that will make us strong and give our best from the very beginning.” Onome said.

“I have won this trophy several times, but I still have the hunger to win it, and also to go to a sixth World Cup. We will look first to pick up the World Cup ticket, and then the trophy.”

Head Coach, Waldrum will be without first choice goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie, who is suspended for receiving yellow cards in different matches of the qualifying series.

However, Waldrum will be still be able to file out her best legs for todays ‘big game’, and feature Tochukwu Oluehi at the goalpost.

“Naturally, this is a very big game and we are looking forward to it. It is also a game that should be a good advertisement for African women football. When you have Nigeria playing South Africa at the senior women level, it is a threat” Waldrum said

“Our objectives and expectations remain the same: to earn a ticket to the World Cup and to win the trophy. We will take it one match at a time. It is interesting to play South Africa first, and we can move ahead from there,” Waldrum concluded.

Unlike previous editions where there were only eight teams splitted into two groups and the top two teams in each group qualifies for the semi final immediately, this year there will be 12 teams, meaning that the format and structure will change.

The top two teams from group A, B, and C will qualify to the quater finals automatically and the two best third place teams from the three groups will join them in the quater finals.

Advertisement