Rasheedat Ajibade says that the Super Falcons have the quality to beat Australia at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
The Super Falcons held the highly rated Canucks of Canada to a 0-0 draw last Friday.
Randy Waldrum’s side will face the Matildas of Australia in their next fixture on Thursday.
In a video posted on the Super Falcons Twitter handle, Ajibade expressed her confident of a good showing against the co-hosts.
“I’m really pumped up for the game so I’m 100 percent ready” Ajibade remarked.
“It’s going to be a difficult game, we are playing against the host team, in a very big stadium, with so much crowd.
“We are going to play against a lot of factors that day but I think we have this, we’ve got this, we’ve done it against big teams and I trust the whole team.
“We have the capacity, we have the talent, we have the energy, we have the strength, we have to bring our A-game.”
Ajibade missed the game against Canada due to a red card she received against Morocco at the semi-final stage of the 2022 Africa Women’s Cup of Nations.
By Toju Sote Sote
12 Comments
Anticipation for this Australia vs Nigeria match excruciating. I wish I could go to bed today and just wake up in time for the match!
Something tells me that the Super Falcons are gunning for a win in this match.
“We are going to play against a lot of factors that day but I think we have this, we’ve got this,” said dashing winger Ajibade.
A victory against the hosts will not only be a big statement but will also be a giant leap towards making it out of the group of wolves alive.
What is it going to be? Waldrum’s 4-2-3-1 against Australia’s flat 4-4-2.
Australia are good with aerial balls. Either from the flanks or from deep in defence, their strikers feast on high balls to wreck havoc. Their two strikers upfront interchange and often combine to devastating effect. They punish mistakes: defenders can never afford to be complacent or asleep on their defensive wheel without being made to pay in tears.
As mentioned, their deliveries all round aren’t mediocre, these Aussies are the cream of the crop.
But this version of the Super Falcons are no slouch. Without motivation from the NFF, their draw their strength and inspiration from their coach who has assembled them at times at his own detriment.
They are a compact unit.
Injuries and fitness permitting, I suspect Waldrum keeping faith with his 4-2-3-1 formation with exactly the same backline as the last match.
There will be 2 defensive midfield pivot of Ucheibe and Ayinde. They will shield the back 4 but Ayinde will be expected to launch long range passes to Oshoala in front – a valuable item in our attacking toolkit.
Payne will retain her place in as the centre attacking midfield where she will support their rich tapestry of passes, recycle possession and help traverse towards opposition area with bad intentions.
Onumonu retains her place in the left wing, this time seeking to locate Oshoala quicker with her inswingers and also invert to receive through passes like a second striker and then unleash shots – either from long or short range strikes, Onumonu wants to score goals, that much is evident in how she goes about her business. Providing assists is second thought to her.
Oshoala is back as the sole centre forward, this time sharper and more aggressive with her runs to latch on to whatever direction and heights the services are coming from. She would occasionally fall deep or drift to flanks to deliver crosses to Onumonu. Oshoala will be looking to sniff out the slightest opportunity to pounce and she will not be averse to feeding off scraps: however the chances come, the Barcelona Bomber will seek to take advantage.
The Queen of cards or Ace of Spades, Ajibade, makes her first appearance in this tournament. Like a caged monster that has just been released, Ajibade will roam the right wing like a night stalker waiting to pounce on unwitting victims.
Unlike Onumonu, Ajibade is not particularly interested in scoring. Unlike Ordega (who she replaces), Ajibade will not sink too deep to support the defence. She will be more concerned in drilling into opposition defence like a deft dentist where she can cause cavities and fill the space with various passing deliveries. She just wants to make her presence felt in anyway possible. Oshoala will be grateful to have her around as they will bounce off each other like a table tennis ball.
Nigeria has firepower in attack. If handled properly, the quartet of Oshoala, Payne, Onumonu and Ajibade could cause overload to Australia’s defence.
But Australia’s 4-4-2 could also cause overload to Nigeria’s defence and their strikers are not known to be particularly profligate.
If both teams play an open game, it could be a high scoring encounter with Australia perhaps taking the day.
However, if the Super Falcons can balance attacking intent with defensive concentration, then anything goes.
But I am not the least worried. Woman for woman, I believe the Super Falcons can hold their own. In terms of formation, the double pivot defensive midfield apparatus fills me with confidence.
This game promises to be fascinating, I can’t wait.
“If the Super Falcons can balance attacking intent with defensive concentration, then anything goes.”
This is what I suspect the Falcons will be gunning for. No sitting back. No overly respecting the opponent, or getting intimidated by the expected partisan and vociferous crowd. Morocco did it at the last AWCON and they got punished first.
The SF will suck up the pressure and play a balanced and daring game, while keenly keeping their defensive shape. At worst, it’ll be a score draw, then we’ll mop up 3 points against Ireland. One of the big 2 names (Canada & Australia) is going to go home this first round.
It’s a good thing Ajibade is back in the line up. She’s always a threatening presence with great on field endurance. I just wish Oshoala and Onumonu can click better. Seems chemistry is missing.
PS: I hope this match is not another midnight affair??
No o! 11am Nigeria time. please watch it Kel and come back with your non-jingoist 🙂 non-ethnic insightful analysis. Haha..
This is quite instructive and deep. Thank you
Super Falcobs! Please stop talking, singing and dancing. Focus and get the job done.
Is it Oshoala or Onumonu that will score the goals??? LMAO this match that Aussie will peg us back for 90mins…. The only few chances will be blown away or nothing will be created by Oshoala and Onumonu. Simple fact if you love Nigeria pass me insult me!!!
@ Chima E Samuels
My guy I tire oh!
Well maybe with Onumonu there is half a chance but no chance with Oshoala based on what I have seen so far oh!
Siddon look mode activated!
Did anyone here know that Canada have a Man playing for their women’s team?
His name is Quinn! This is an ACTUAL MAN OH!!
All I know is that I felt like something was not right with the player who put a very hard tackle in on Oshoala in the first 15 mins of our game against them, at the time, I thought to myself- what a bad tackle because all the studs on one foot were showing in that tackle and Oshoala showed a lot of resilience to carry on after that tackle, I genuinely felt that the player should have been at the very least shown a yellow card even though it was actually a red card tackle in all fairness, but the player did not even get any card for that horror tackle and only got a talking to by the referee
To now find out that even after the injustice of that tackle on Oshoala, the person who put in the dangerous tackle is also a MAN?? The player is called Quinn- please for reference go and watch the tackle on Oshoala again – I mentioned it during the game itself, complaining about the reckless tackle without even knowing that the player himself is a MAN – Chaii only God can help us oh!
These people now have men playing in their women’s only team and we do not even know about it – You would think that there would be a rule at the very least that if you have a man playing in your “all women’s team” you should at least be required to announce the fact abi?
This one the one hand is really infuriating and just shows the sinful world we live in today and the extent these Whities will go to to cheat and try to offend God but also it gives me another perspective on our (Super Falcons) achievement in holding those cheats to a draw oh! The guy played the whole 90 minutes and was not substituted!
Oh Lord – may your Kingdom come and cover every grain of sand and every blade of grass on this our planet, May Your will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven Lord!
We thank you for your promise never to wipe out humanity again and we eagerly await your return Lord Jesus!
@Field Marshall, She is not a man o. She is a legal transgender. She is a beautiful woman who any man can marry.
Which one is legal transgender again??? Omg so when it’s them it’s legal??? Africa is still colonised till date make nobody deceive us.
My broda nor mind them..
Let them be very careful because 2 can play that game – Make dem no dey think say na only dem sabi do cheating-
If all this foul play should continue then we too can just find 11 men, tell dem make them pack well well then field them as our women’s team abi I lie? Then we will also be a powerhouse in “women’s football” until the next country also decide to do the same and before long there will be no actual “women’s” teams left because all countries will start using men and calling them legal transgenders – In fact some African countries have already started na – Is not South Africa with that dude running against women and the other Zambian guy who is also winning every race because he is now competing against real women – I’m telling you, very soon all countries will just start fielding men and calling them legal transgenders for competitive advantage
Arara Kumbie
Nna, bia kain gwa gi something – Come let me tell you something
If you didn’t know, A man is always a man no matter how you want to package it and then sugar coat it
There are only 2 (TWO) GENDERS – Unless you want to say that you and the others know better than God – The Supreme and Sovereign Creator – The Author and Perfecter of all things.
Don’t be fooled because we are not.
God did not make any “gender fluid abi na fluent people” – It’s vanity upon vanity, it is disrespectful and extremely dangerous and fool hardy to think believe otherwise.
This may be contentious – It probably will be based on what you put in response to my post, but trust me you are/will be in an acute minority if that’s what you believe
Also – just looking at it from a fairness point of view – It makes absolutely no sense – Zero!
This Quinn dude can run faster than any REAL woman, will be stronger that any REAL woman- as was very clearly shown in our game against Canada, he was not subbed for the entire game, and the tackle he put on Asisat was AGRICULTURAL to put it midly
Guy, don’t get it twisted oh, just because God stopped meting out instant justice by thunder strikes like He used to do in the olden days don’t mean He’s cool with mere puny mortals flaunting his perfect creation and placing elevating themselves to a level where they have absolutely no right to elevate themselves to – The punishment is still coming, only it’s now coming like an accumulator ni – When each of our time comes, they will roll out the charge sheet and each will be dealt the measure of his/her disobedience and crimes. True Stories my guy – But peace to y’all all the same oh – don’t hate the messenger