By Akinwale Kasali
For over a year, the Super Falcons of Nigeria did not participate or play any competitive match after missing out of the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games rescheduled for this year 2021 following the wave of the Covid-19 Pandemic across the the World.
Since the appointment of American Coach, Randy Waldrum for the Female National Side, he hadn’t played any competitive match, and had not met the players.
The cancellation of the African Women Cup of Nations, AWCON, due to Covid-19 further made it impossible for Coach Waldrum to meet his new Team.
In putting the team in shape, the Amaju Pinnick led Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, registered the National team in an Invitational Competition in Antalya, Turkey, to make Coach Waldrum get acquainted with his players.
The Turkey Competition had CSKA Moscow Female Football Team of Russia, Equatorial Guinea Female Team, Uzbekistan Female Football Team and the Super Falcons.
The NFF hurriedly assembled a group of 23-Players, captained by Barcelona Female Football Team Striker, Asisat Oshoala, Francisca Ordega, Esther Sunday among others.
The omission of veteran striker and Dijon Football Club of France Striker, Desire Oparanozie from the team generated controversy, following her superb performance and present form for his French Clubside.
Inclusion of 38-Year Old Onome Ebi was widely criticised, despite not playing competitive football for over two years, but, that did not stop the NFF from including her, as the Coach Waldrum depended on the NFF to name the sqaud for him, following his unfamiliarity with the Players.
The Super Falcons started the tournament brightly, defeating CSKA Moscow 1-0, followed by another scintillating performance against Uzbekistan, who succumbed to the superiority of the Oshoala captained side by 1-0 scoreline.
The team however confirmed their dominance by winning the Festival Women’s Cup 2021 in Antalya, Turkey with a 9-0 comprehensive win over its African Sister and neighbour, Equitorial Guinea.
Barcelona forward, Asisat Oshoala, scored four of the nine goals.
Falcons finished as champions with maximum nine points from three matches, scoring 11 goals and conceding none.
Glory Ogbonna opened the scoring for the nine-time African champions in the ninth minute before captain Oshoala scored two goals from the spot in the 12th and 13th minutes, and then added a third in the 26th minute.
Uchenna Kalu made it 5-0 in the 36th minute, while Eibar forward Charity Adule scored the sixth goal with a fine header three minutes later.
The hardworking Toni Payne’s 43rd minute thunderous strike, after shielding off two of her opponents, ensured that the Falcons took a seven-goal advantage into the half time break.
Coach Waldrum brought on Gift Monday, Ramat Abdulkareem, Esther Sunday and Maryam Ibrahim for Chiwendu Ihezuo, Chidinma Okeke, Payne and Kalu respectively, ensuring all the 23 players for the tournament had a taste of action.
The Nigerians, however, took their foot off the pedal in the second half but still scored two goals to confine Equatorial Guinea, two-time African champions, to a humiliating defeat.
Substitute Gift, who plays for Robo FC in the domestic league, scored the eighth goal in the 69th minute, before Oshoala grabbed her fourth of the game in the 85th minute to cap an emphatic win for the African champions.
Two minutes later Equatorial Guinean defender Gina was given the marching orders after a harsh tackle on the rampaging Ramat Abdulkareem on the left flank.
With the result, the Falcons became the first African team to win the tournament, following three straight wins.
Oshoala attributed the performance to the hard work of the players.
“As a team I’m really happy and also with the attitude the girls put up in the tournament because we came all out to make sure we had fun.
“Also, we worked very hard. We just want to make sure that we give our best and keep getting good results and goals as much as we can,” Oshoala told NFF Media.
