Super Falcons Head coach, Randy Waldrum, has expressed the optimism that his players will put up a stronger performance to get victory against the Lady Elephants of Ivory Coast in Abidjan on Wednesday, February 23 – the final qualifying fixture second leg for the 12th Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.
The Super Falcons go into the game with two goals advantage obtained last Friday’s 2-0 win in Abuja. Wednesday’s second leg is billed for Stade Robert Champroux, Abidjan. The eventual winner qualifies for the WAFCON tournament billed for July in Morocco.
The WAFCON 2022 tournament will also serve as the African qualifiers for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup which will be co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand.
“We should play on the front foot in Ivory Coast, we are not to sit back trying to contain them. Though, we weren’t at our best in the first leg but now that we know how good they are, we shall go all out to get the result that will qualify us for the main competition,” Waldrum told Completesports.com
“My team played according to instructions even though we did not entertain, but they were able to shut them out. We scored two two goals and kept a clean sheet, that is a good platform to start from, and hopefully, we shall come back victorious”
Waldrum added: “I know they will be aggressive and try to disrupt what we do, but we have to prepare our players not to be perturbed by their game plan to stop our flow, but we shall be on the front foot and try to score a goal or two to unsettle them. We shall get the job done in Ivory Coast
“We shall be smart enough to absolve what the game calls for and whatever they throw at us and go at them. We have to score at least a goal and make things more difficult for them. This team is in much better place and with much better players. We will be fine at end of the day, we will qualify,” the American concluded
By Richard Jideaka, Abuja
9 Comments
I love this man! Just like GENERAL ROAH he gat so much believe in his team.
Lol at @MONKEY POST Onyibo Man shit no dey smell like perfume hahaha!! na wa o!!
His general who couldn’t win a trophy over 30 years of coaching with likes of Zidane, and co. Meanwhile, Zidane has gone on to win trophies and turning down great teams.
LMFAO! Fake people like you prevented him from doing so with Nigeria.. LMFAO!!
The American coach said we would in Ivory Coast and we did. But Rohr would be busy praising his opponents and in the process demoralizing his players.
Thank you NFF for doing the right thing.
_S. Falcons: Solid not Spectacular _
Coach Randy Waldrum, whose pragmatic approach has seen the Super Falcons win 6 out of 11 games, is quite upbeat about his ladies’ chances of marching straight to the Wafcon in the summer with a favourable result against the Lady Elephants of Ivory this week.
Nigeria won the first leg at home 2:0 after a focused and business-like approach saw them devour a determined Ivory Coast who themselves were the more entertaining side.
And entertainment is not something that has been associated with Waldrum’s tenure as Super Falcons head coach.
“Even though we did not entertain (in the first leg against Ivory Coast),” said Coach Randy, “but we were able to shut them out [and] we scored two goals and kept a clean sheet.” He added.
Nigeria fans are split in opinion when it come to this issue of ‘entertainment’. Perhaps it is becoming a major distraction in national team football discourse and some fans (like myself) are only hanging on to bygone era in a manner that is detrimental to the success of the Super Eagles and Falcons.
Coach Gernot Rohr was sacked, despite meeting his targets, for not playing a sexy brand of football. These same motifs are now manifesting in the game of Randy Waldrum.
The American said quite right that: “My team played according to instructions (against Ivory Coast in Abuja).” And to me that much was obvious. The Falcons were focused in disrupting Ivory Coast’s rhythm; they were fastidious enough to absorb relentless pressure; they withstood everything the visitors threw at them; and most importantly, they got the goals to turbo charge their campaign with effectively one foot at the Wafcon door.
But, what was missing was elegance, poise, finesse and artistry that would have elevated the enjoyment value and experience and also make the highlights delightfully rewatchable.
Even at that, a growing body of Nigeria fans are starting to peel off this entertainment line of thinking. Football is a results business – they would argue – and any coach winning matches is worth his onions.
To this fans, the end justifies the means.
However, that is not altogether accurate. For me, it will still be helpful for the output of the Super Falcons to exhibit a mixture of pragmatism and meaningful entertainment or flair.
If a match leans too much towards entertainment and has failure as end product, then it is pointless at best and meaningless at worst.
Conversely, if a match is all about results with a dour, depressing, grotesque and abominable brand of football, then the success will be tainted and will not be memorable.
A middle ground is needed here.
Balancing results and beautiful football is a fine line in which a reputable coach must navigate with skill, care, vision and application.
With the right players, right mentality and thorough preparations, this can be achieved.
The fact that coach Randy accepted that his team ‘didn’t entertain’ and will now play ‘on the front foot’ would suggest to me that he knows he has to somehow inject flair, energy and vibrancy to his results oriented approach for Nigeria.
“This team is in much better place and with much better players. We will be fine at end of the day. We shall get the job done in Ivory Coast.” Said Randy.
And getting the job done is something this coach is proving to be good at; some of us are just waiting for his Super Falcons to start getting the job done in some style.
Super Falcons Deadly Striker Already Dreaming of Afcon
Two goals hero Ifeoma Onumonu, who has filled in perfectly for missing regulars like Oparanozie and Oshoala, is already dreaming of participating in the Wafcon this summer as she talks tough ahead of today’s crunch clash away encounter to Ivory Coast ladies.
“Yeah! I am really excited to play and score more goals (against Ivory Coast today),” said Onumonu on twitter.
I hope we have a better team performance; I am so happy I score the 2 goals but I know I have more in me and I can do better. I am ready to go, ready to get out there and (most importantly) ready for the Afcon,” she concluded.
Onumonu’s first goal against Ivory Coast in Abuja was pure class as she took aim – like a ruthless female sniper – blasted past the hapless goalkeeper in the first half with unerring accuracy before her gloriously eloquent chip in the second half put the outcome beyond doubt.
She could have had a hattrick had the controversial referee played advantage for Nigeria in the first half rather than pull play back after Ifeoma’s goal.
All these would never have happened had regulars like Oparanozie, Ordega and Oshoala been available.
What will happen to Onumonu’s starting 11 status with a full Super Falcons house remains to be seen.
For now, she just wants to continue doing what she does best: score goals after goals for Nigeria like a smooth criminal.
Will The Super Falcons Unveil Their Own Oyinbo Wall?
With England based Ashleigh Plumptre having shone like a million stars in the first leg against Ivory Coast last week, many fans are now wondering whether coach Randy Waldrum will one day pair her with Onyinye Zogg in the heart of Nigeria’s defence.
Although Ashleigh was played out of position at right fullback in Abuja, she still delivered a sterling performance.
Her department was targeted relentlessly and she was beaten on occasions by the influential Ivory Coast number 10 winger. But Ashleigh’s recovery rate was exemplary.
Her shielding, marking, tackling and interception maneuvers were executed to very high standards. She ticks all the boxes of an upmarket defender.
That said, the limited pace often associated with top quality centre backs was evident in her game leading to many fans waiting for her to be restored to her natural habitat in the heart of defence.
When that happens, will Randy Waldrum be bold enough to pair her with Zogg so as to have his own rendition of Rohr’s Oyinbo Wall pairing of Balogun and Ekong?
Twenty four year old Onyinyechi Salome Zogg, who was born in Switzerland and plays for FFC Turbine Potsdam of Germany, is a seasoned centre defender who already has 2 caps for Nigeria.
In her first game for the Super Falcons against Jamaica last year, Zogg received rave reviews from many Nigerian media outlets as one of the top performers on a disappointing night for Nigeria.
She held her own at the back; contributed defensively to keep the scoreline respectable; and show maturity beyond her years in dispensing her role on the pitch.
Although she was not invited for this February’s double header qualifiers against Ivory Coast, Zogg very much remains in the plans of the Super Falcons management team (if she stays fit and active in club football).
Going forward, Zogg is expected to be included in future squads. Should circumstances conspire in her favour (just like 2 goals hero Onumonu profited from the absence of Oshoala and Oparanozie), Super Falcons fans might yet witness the unveiling of another Oyinbo Wall sooner rather than later!
And that will be delightfully brilliant!
It’s all over!!! Super Falcons 1 Lady Elephants 0