Completesports.com’s ADEBOYE AMOSU rates the performance of Super Falcons players in their 2022 Africa Women’s Cup of Nations semi-final clash against the Atlas Lionesses of Morocco on Monday night…
CHIAMAKA NNADOZIE 8/10
Deservedly won the Woman of the Match award. Kept her side in the game and was unlucky during the penalty shootout.
TONI PAYNE 6/10
Make too many mistakes early in the game. Not one of her best games for the Super Falcons.
ONOME EBI 7/10
A spirited display from the defender. She was unlucky to pick up an injury late in the second half.
OSINACHI OHALE 7/10
Took charge of the defence after Onome Ebi’s injury. Showed her class once again.
ASHLEIGH PLUMPTRE 7/10
Put up a good display in the game. She is real asset to the team.
HALIMAT AYINDE 6/10
A commanding display from the defensive midfielder. She was sent off for a poor tackle early in the second half.
CHRISTY UCHEIBE 7/10
The Benfica midfielder was one of the key performers for the Super Falcons in the game.
NGOZI OKOBI-OKEOGHENE 7/10
The elegant midfielder was unlucky not to score a goal in the game. She is definitely one of the most important players in the team.
RASHEEDAT AJIBADE 6/10
Played a key role in Nigeria’s opening goal. She was sent off in the 70th minute.
UCHENNA KANU 7/10
Played an important role in Nigeria’s opening goal. A lively display from the forward.
IFEOMA ONUMONU 7/10
Did well in the game even though her penalty miss cost the Super Falcons a place in the final.
SUBSTITUTES
RITA CHIKWELU 6/10
Gave a good account of herself after replacing Christy Ucheibe.
MICHELLE ALOZIE 6/10
Came in for the injured captain Onome Ebi. She helped kept the Moroccans at bay.
MONDAY GIFT 6/10
Came close to scoring the winning goal for Nigeria late in extra time. She certainly has a bright future ahead of her.
REGINA OTU 4/10
Did well following her introduction in extra time.
31 Comments
Who is giving these ratings goodness me how can someone do well and still get 4/10 by YOUR standards,hmm some people no Sabi watch ball o
They need to find younger ladies .did well to play with 9 players for almost 60min
Those saying Onumonu should be expelled from the SF are like a person who goes to the restaurant, keeps complaining that the food is not sweet, yet e siddon there dey chop dey go. Sotey, food don nearly finish for plate!
If the food no sweet, stop eating!
If Onumonu is not SF material, then let us reject her completely.
We should write to CAF that we want her goal against Botswana cancelled. We want Ajibade’s winner against a tough Cameroon side cancelled, because it came from an Onumonu assist. We also want Kanu’s goal today against Morocco cancelled, because it came from an Onumonu header.
If we think she’s not SF material, we have NO RIGHT to celebrate when she contributes positively to the team. NO RIGHT.
Let her go away from the team, and let her take her goals and assists with her.
The same Onumonu that provided the assist that QUALFIED US FOR THE WORLD CUP is not a SF material.
Ok now. Let us continue!!!
You dey mind those who only watch ball with emotions??? We were all here when SuperEagles couldn’t have a shot on target against Tunisia when they were down to 10 men. The SuperFalcons were down to 9 wonderful women and they could’ve scored if not for the woodwork. Yet they only lost on penalties and some lowlifes are crying for the coach to be sacked and one player is not SF material Lmao!! The girls have done us proud we played against VAR not Morocco.
I think the players and the coaching crew of the Nigeria team did wonderfully well. I also think CAF/ Morrocco FA had a hand in this match just to make sure that Nigeria did not win the title for the 10th time. I also feel like the south Africa and Morrocco teams are well aided to reach the final. Judging by what I saw during the match, there is no way that this Moroccan team will beat that Nigeria super falcons. They (the Moroccans) just don’t have the quality and the characters to do so.
Yes that is why caf president must go there is something evil in that guy he is destroying African football.wafu zoning and the manipulation of south Africa and Morocco in the final too bad
Onumonu is by far the best traditional no 9 in this tournament. Her runs are superb and her hold up play is pleasing to watch. Playing as a lone striker always sandwiched between 2 defenders is something many a no 9s struggle to handle.
The tactical paucity in the team whenever we get to the final third no thanks to a tactically bankrupt coach limits her a great deal.
She’s not built for running aimlessly on the pitch. She will thrive if there is a SS behind her (in the mould of iheanacho) attacking the spaces and taking all the attention away from her or a 10 playing close to her. The wide forwards we used played in this tournament played too wide off her (probably in adherence to the coach’s instructions) always hugging the bylines. She is a penalty box no 9. Feed her with the right balls to feet or good crosses in the air and she will do the rest.
Onumonu is just like Morocco’s Ayane in this tournament. Brilliant intelligent traditional no 9s who keep the central defence of opponents busy so that the wing forwards can have their way. Its just typical of Nigerians to always want to look for someone to hang on the cross when things dont go our way (It has been like that since the days of Baba Otu Mohammed and Godwin Odiye). If its not one player they are secretly jealous of it will be the innocent referee who is just doing his/her job. By the time we chase away everybody from our national teams we will see who will be left to play for us.
Salut to the Super Falcons though. Everyone of them did well and played their lungs out. Anyone who thinks it is easy should go and play a 9 v 11 football game on a standard size pitch and come back to tell us the story.
The girl is poor… She has been poor since the tournament started… We struggle to score goals because her attacking play is allround blunt. Forget… She isn’t a better player thsn Gift Monday or Kanu. She did what her best but for the coach to have kept her staring always ahead of more technical players was beyond understanding… She massively needs to improve her quickness on the ball, ball anticipation, first touches and ball usage… She couldn’t hold on to passes throughout. She is the worst to lead the line for Super Falcons in recent times.. She plays like Efan Ekoku… Very sluggish and ineffectual. Yea… She contributed a few assists, which was part of her job but that Waldrum coach isn’t better than people who have been incharge before him… What was his instructions to the players that they were so rash with high studs costing us 2players being sent off? Pinnick and white savious slave mentality…
Hahahaha…go and kick her out of the national team na….LMAOOo
“…She is the worst to lead the line for Super Falcons in recent times…”
5 goals 3 assists in 8 matches and still counting.
Please someone should remind us of the last SE centre-forward to record such numbers “in recent times”….LMAOOooo
She is indeed “very sluggish and ineffectual”…..LMAOOoo
Sandwich Uchenna Kanu or Gift Monday as no 9s in between 2 central defenders with the Wide Forwards hugging the bylines like a new found lover for 8 matches and lets see if they will record 5 goals and 3 assists in those 8 matches.
I dont have time for watery, aimless arguments.
Anybody who hates seeing Onumonu in a SF shirt should turn off their TVs whenever she’s lacing her boots for Nigeria.
Good job Super Falcons! This South African CAF president is just another version of Hayatou. He has put fairness to the dustbin in the short time he has spent. African footbal is no longer represented by the best teams due to the urge to favour North Africans and South Africans.I wonder if they can use the format in youth competitions to club competitions so that the gap between North Africa plus South African clubs can be bridged with others. I bet you, he will kick against it. Anyway, he won’t stay there forever but i pray his damage is containable when he shamefully goes away. No matter their conspiracies, Super Falcons are better than other teams in Africa.
I don’t know why we don’t like to say the truth and face reality. The coach is not better than any previous coach that has coached the super falcons – foreign or local. His performance are all there to see. He started the tournament using players that where supposed to be on the bench. He only decided to use the younger players when it became glaring that his preferred players were not up to the task.
Onumonu was also average and never better than Kanu or Monday. In a match where the super falcons where down to 9 women, the coach should have used gritty players – players with stamina for the last 60 minutes. Go and watch the match again, after the 2 red cards Onumonu could neither support the midfield or even do much in the attack with the little chances that we created.
On the other hand, Gift Monday was more effective when she came on and played alone up front even when we were playing with 9 women. She troubled the Moroccans more and could have even scored but for the crossbar. With Onumonu on the pitch and Nigeria with 2 red cards, she was more of an additional minus 1 for Nigeria!
In this tournament Onumonu was effective but not efficient. Her goal ration in the competition is a testament to this. Kanu was a more efficient and effective player than her. It may sound harsh but that is the truth and reality. However, I can’t heap all the blame on Onumonu because it is the coach that selected her and left her on the pitch when stronger and fitter players where needed.
I also wonder why the coach had to remove Okobi and Ucheibe. The were the engine room of the team. I don’t know what the coach was expecting to happen by removing the engine of the team.
It so funny and astonishing the way people compare apples to bananas…LMAOoo.
Gift Monday came on in the 90th minute…..fresh and fit, and you expect her not to trouble the Moroccans more than Onumonu….?? Like seriously….?? What happened to energy levels of a 90th minute fast-paced substitute attacker running at players who have been running around 90 minutes ago….?
If Gift had started the match too, would she have been running at the Moroccans by the 90th minute the way she was running at them…? Did the coach remove Onumonu and like Kepa Arrizeballaga, she refused to leave the pitch…? Or was she supposed of substitute herself off the pitch…??
And you talk about saying the truth and facing reality…?
The last time I checked, the only goal we got in the game, which was after the 1st red card as off a brilliant run and classy header from the same Onumonu.
This same Gift Monday was on the pitch from start to finish when ASFAR (a morrocan clubside) whopped Rivers Angels 3-0 in the CAF Womens CL, so what’s the hue and cry about her as if she would have been using her hands to throw goals into the Morrocan net or as if she can function if the right passes are not sent to her in the right positions.
Ifeoma did her best…her level best. She even gifted us a goal when we needed one. Y’all should find somewhere else to direct your frustrations
When I say a player is average, she is indeed average. You may like Onumonu but that does not make her the best striker in this present super falcons. She made the header. This is absolutely correct. But someone provided the cross. Compare her overall performance with the performance of Kanu or Monday, considering the fact that Monday and Kanu didn’t play the same amount of matches Onumonu played, you’ll realize that her output was not up to those of Kanu and Monday.
She provided assists and scored a goal. But in a match like the one falcons played against Morocco, other players would have given a better output. I have said it again and again that Onumonu thrives when she plays out wide, has someone playing behind her, or she plays as a supporting striker. As a lone striker like the falcons did yesterday, she will definitely struggle.
Majority of the people that have pointed this out can’t be wrong. Reason is, the players performances are out there for all to see. Gift Monday or Kanu can fumble in the future. But today, they are still better options than Onumonu
There is a reason why Richard Owobokiri could not displace Yekini in the Green eagles. There is also a reason that Onuachu and even Sodiq will not displace Osimhen in the current super eagles. All these players have one thing in common, they are lanky and their physique does not suit Nigeria’s style of play. They do excellently well in their clubsides but at the national team they struggle because they lack what players like Yekini, Osimhen, Gift Monday, and Uchenna Kanu, Mercy Akide, Okparanozie have.
Josh men. How are you doing,?
I’m doing good. Though we lost but this is one of the few times that we can’t really fault the players. They gave their all. There is nothing else we can say. The loss is not even painful because the girls showed that they are still the best in Africa. Imagine everybody, even the commentators praying fall super falcons to lose by all means.
The whole of Africa knows that it will take extraordinary circumstances for any African team to dethrone the falcons and they fashioned out the circumstances yesterday. Kudos to the girls.
Well said Brodaman Josh.
Well said, doc.
Okobi and Ucheibe worked their socks off probably knackered so the coach did the rightful by introducing experienced players to manage the situation we found ourselves.
Meanwhile,Gift Monday reminds me of Samson Siasia very clever,bundle of skills and pace traditionally a Nigerian typical player.A player like that will function alone even without an assist striker because they’re technically sound with a big heart to conjure something out of nothing,possesses take on abilities,players like that are a nuisance to defenses.
The one positive thing in this tournament is the discovery of quality players like Gift Monday and the competition exposing a few who shouldn’t be starting games.Had the coach got her starting lineup right against South Africa,we wouldn’t have taking a more difficult route.I’m optimistic we would be in the final had we topped our group,anyways things happens for a reason,world cup qualification is achieved the tournament is a success the super falcons is stronger now with the likes of Ucheibe and Okobi as well Efih starting games so going to the world cup we are gradually coming to terms with the strongest players in the group.
Hopefully,Gift Monday should start games in the world cup,deservedly so.
Onumonu does not cut it for me.She shouldn’t be starting games not when we have a Gift Monday that’s criminal!Like I rightly said you can’t win a tournament with a player like Onumonu leading the line no way I do not see that happening,she’s at best a substitute,not saying she should be ostracized from the team no because she isn’t a bad player in her own rights but not good enough to start games for a country like Nigeria,it does not matter how right people wants to make it look like,she’s no where near as good as a Gift Monday we all saw it,we aren’t reading from a book.
Yeah some of the positives is the discoveries we made we mustn’t win all the time at some point we shall be dethroned at some point too we shall win the title it’s a natural process,it’s not time to blame the gaffer or any player despite my criticism on Onumonu she made some good contributions and I believe she would be a good squad player for the super falcons.She isn’t entirely a bad player but not good enough to lead the line that’s my view.
Good-luck super falcons you made us proud even in defeat.
Wow….first time EVER @Dr. Drey and his MAN FRIDAY won’t be on the same side. Brilliant..That makes the forum interesting and rich. When we do not support people even when in our inner recess we know we don’t agree with them, but do so probably to spite another.
I have been busy on the POLITICAL front recently and haven’t been following The AWFCON.
But going by different views am reading this morning, there is optimism going into the WC. Only SNAG I deduced from most A LIST forumites is we probably need a better GAFFER than WALDRUM. Would the NFF be bold to fire him? Only time will tell.
Curiously, I don’t read anyone criticize HALIMAT AYINDE and AJIBADE for those RED CARDS. Why please? Even the CSN players rater scored her 6/10
Talking about POLITICAL FRONT @JIMMYBALL sorry @MAHMUD SHUAIB.
Are you a JAGABANIST, ATIKULATED or OBIDIENT?
It’s quite unfortunate the game went the way it did. But I have to praise the Super Falcons, their grit and resolve. They gave their all. But football happened.
We lost with our head high and our dignity maintained.
That said, the debate on Onumonu is quite unnecessary. We should give her some slack. She did her best to her level. She is not a Mercy Akide neither a Perpetual or Oparanozie but remember at this moment, she put in the work. She gave her all with a goal and assists.
We should understand she’s a different breed of striker from what we have always had in the Falcons. She is a box 9. Short of pace but make up for that with her intelligent runs. Not skillful but tactically aware.
I feel the coach never played to her strength. She was mostly left alone in the wilderness. Methinks she needs a supporting cast upfront with her to fully utilise her. Or atleast drag the wingers a bit narrower. The front 3 were too far apart. And the attacking midfielder was mostly far from her.
My take is, Waldrum is not all that. He seems to be learning on the job. I dare say, the players’ ability got us the world cup ticket rather than any technical ability from the coach. We qualified inspite of the coach.
Well, we look to the future with positivity. We will definitely come back for our title. La decima will happen. It is just a matter of when.
Again, well done girls.
You have identified the problem here. It is the coach. Not really Onumonu. A good coach would have taken Onumonu out and not allow her to play a gritty and all cards on the table match like we played yesterday. The coaches’ decision making was more of a problem to the super falcons than assist.
They really tried
The game of football is very interesting. Everybody was practically shaking in that stadium. The female commentator was obviously against the falcons but that’s fine. That’s what you get as a dominant figure and defending champion. People will always be bias towards the underdogs. Great performance by the super falcons and the Moroccan team. Congratulations to both of them for making the world cup team. congratulations to Africa for these able representatives. We can’t win all the time. These will spur us to greater heights in the World cup.
Folks, we did not lose please. We only did not progress as games lost via penalty shootouts are not considered as lost games. The match ended 1-1 AET! I felt I should make this clarification
The girls tried but I think Onumonu was the wickest link in thet team. She tried especially against Cameroon but compare to previous Nigeria striker, Onumonu still has making things to learn.
We are proud of our ladies
Our coach was at fault yesterday he lacked tactics of substitution immediately Ayinde was given redcard he should have subbed Omunomu with a player that can attack and defend then Kanu at cf
When you read comments here, you see the stark difference between those who understand the game and talk objectively and those who just go by emotion and short of substance. My people, please leave match officials out of it. If we didn’t commit clear red card fouls, they wouldn’t have called it and we should have won with 11 players as Morocco was getting played out of the park. I also hear “We nearly scored” when the SF player smashed the ball on the top bar with 9 our gallant players. If anyone had listened to me we won’t be here now lamenting about not scoring. The sad part is that before that game, l was here and on other websites pleading for any friend,family or official with access to our players to pass on to them that the way you guarantee that you’ll almost never blast over or hit the cross (top) bar when you shoot is by remembering to aim your shot at the grass. This is why. Even if the ball misses the grass, it will never rise higher than the opponent’s keeper’s shoulder, unless your skill level and shooting technique is at a clueless grandmother’s level. Well, obviously she didn’t get the information, did the usual blast and pray for the best technique. Well, we all know what happened. She hit the top bar and didn’t score where she should have. And as usual, we’re left with the “lf only” heartbreak consolation. By the way,even our superb performing Okobi (to name just one) blasted over too. lt’s those little margins and corrections that set the US and Eurooean teams apart from us, not skill level. More times than not, that’s where we fall short on winning matgins. Remember this because we’ll be back here again in another Nigeria involved tournament (male or female) rueing yet another missed chance that shouldn’t be missed.
“Winning margins” meant.
You nailed it man, shooting accuracy is what we lack. Very few Shots on target in most of our games.