Paris 2024 Olympic: Super Falcons Breaks 16 Years Jinx, Defeats South Africa, Books Olympic Ticket

By Akinwale Kasali

After 16 Years absence at the Olympics, the Super Falcons of Nigeria have booked the ticket for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games by defeating its arch rivals, Bayana Bayana of South Africa 1-0 on aggregate.

Rasheedat Ajibade’s lone strike in the first leg of the Olympic Qualifiers at the Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola Stadium in Abuja was all the Nigerian side needed to get one of the two tickets meant for Africa.

At the second leg in Pretoria, the Super Falcons curtailed the attacking prowess of the South Africans to a salvage a goalless draw and book the much needed ticket.

Coach Randy Waldrum thus broke the 16-year jinx of the continued absence of the Super Falcons at the World’s most prestigious Sports Event. Its last outing was at Beijing Olympics 2008 in China.

For the tournament in Paris, the Super Falcons is drawn in a tough-looking first round group that has world champions Spain, Japan and Brazil.