Super Falcons captain Rasheedat Ajibade has reflected on the team’s thrilling semi-final victory over South Africa.
The nine-time champions defeated South Africa 2-1 on Tuesday to book a place in the final of the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.
Ajibade opened scoring for Nigeria from the penalty spot late in the first half.
South Africa got themselves back into the game on the hour mark, also via a penalty when Osinachi Ohale pulled down Hildah Magaia inside the box, and Linda Motlhalo converted from the spot.
Right-back Michelle Alozie however won the game for the Super Falcons late on with a long range effort.
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Ajibade said they were expecting a difficult test against Desiree Ellis’ side.
“We know it was going to be a difficult game because every game in this tournament has been tough. We know South Africa quite well, they are a very good side,” Ajibade who was named Woman of the Match for the third time in the competition declared after the game.
“We have played each other in different competitions, Olympics qualifiers, WAFCON, but we were ready for whatever is going to come our way, physically, and tactically. We were always ready for a game like this.
“When we face challenges, that is when you see the best of Super Falcons. It was difficult, but we managed to get the win.”
The Super Falcons will face host Atlas Lionesses of Morocco in the final at the Olympic Stadium in Rabat on Saturday.
By Adeboye Amosu
2 Comments
The Nigerian Coach made the game difficult by playing Esther Okoronkwo in an unusual position. The Falcons missed her pressing and incision passes from midfleld.. Pls the coach shouldn’t try such experiment again especially in the finallys. Esther plays better when she runs in attack from midfield as evident in previous games. Meanwhile, Oshoala may have lost a bit of form but her experience in terms of positioning and hold up was missed against SA. Pls the coach should work on her fitness and let her come in in the finals . She carries lots of influence and prevents the opponent from attacking us in numbers especially when we are leading ..
Lol. Our coach wey fit go fear “FIFA women’s world cup winning coach” and use negative tactics?
South Africa in the second half no look like people wey play 2 hours of football after we don rest for 24 hours before they played their quarter finals match.
Our girls will have to be imaginative because I hope the referee who handed us 2 red cards in 2022 against Morocco will not be on duty this time.
Ideally, Ghana showed us how to be swashbucklers against Morocco but my head dey tell me say we go see “cautious” falcons on Saturday.
No be Madugu again?
Keep Morocco out of our penalty box (oh they have long range shots sha) and match them with precise finishing early since we mostly wane in the 2nd half and tighten the midfield in the second half.
But substitutions oh, no. Why? Fear. Many players were dragged out of position and DIDN’T RETURN TO THEIR FAMILIAR HABITATS cos boss was scared to tweak tactics (if he had one).
Mission X will happen against a very eye pleasing, mostly home based Moroccan team if our players damn cautionary tactics from the bench and be very IMAGINATIVE.
Plumptre is very fired up. My joy. Revenge is a driver too. After dismantling Zambia, who snatched bronze from us in the last tournament; after managing to escape RSA who inflicted a loss on us in the last Wafcon also; against a Moroccan side that were lucky to be best penalty takers and ousted us too in the last tournament, a pound of flesh would be sweet.
It’s good our coach is in the interim. Women football has gone very innovative. How can one not change tactics in-game in modern football?