Super Falcons goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie believed Botswana will make things difficult for the team but is upbeat they will come out victorious.
Nigeria and Botswana will clash in a Group B encounter at the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco on Thursday (today).
Both teams enjoyed contrasting fortunes in their first game in the competition.
The Super Falcons defeated Tunisia 3-0, while Botswana lost 1-0 to Algeria.
Tonight’s encounter will be the second-ever meeting between both countries.
Read Also:WAFCON 2024: We Will Fight Hard To Beat Super Falcons — Botswana Coach Malete
Nigeria defeated the Mares 2-0 at the 2022 edition of the WAFCON finals also hosted by Morocco.
Nnadozie reckoned Botswana will be desperate to bounce back from the defeat to Algeria.
‘It will not be an easy game particularly as Botswana lost their first game to Algeria,” Nnadozie told reporters.
“In 2022, we beat them 2-0 also in the group stage, so it will be like a cup final, and we hope to win again.”
A win will see the Super Falcons book a place in the knockout round of the competition.
The game billed for the Larbi Zaouli Stadium, Casablanca will kick-off at 8pm Nigeria time.
By Adeboye Amosu
1 Comment
My only prayer Botswana come out and play football, not to just sit back, soak pressure and pack the bus like Tunisia did in the first half of the 3:0 Super Falcons win in the first half.
Having now watched that entire Nigeria v Tunisia match in full, twice, I genuinely think some of the criticisms levelled against Madugu’s philosophy, pattern and approach were unfair.
I am not a fan of Madugu by a country mile. But, when your opponents place 11 players in defensive duties, why should Kel and Chima E Samuel complain of the Super Falcons playing backward passes.
In Yoruba, we say ‘ti iwaju o ba se lo, eyin a se pada si’. Meaning, if going forward is proving difficult, then step back for a moment (to recalibrate).
Madugu played 4-3-3 attacking football. For the fruits of this approach to be delicious, the opponents have to also come out gung ho if needs be, so you have the makings of excitement for neutrals.
In the first half, Ohale/Demehin will try to get the ball rolling from the back but struggled to pick out any of their colleagues who were heavily marked out by the Tunisians.
Think about it, 4 Super Falcons in defence and 6 in the opposition half. These 6 had 11 Tunisians to contend with which led to a lot of “intercepted” Super Falcons passes.
At this juncture , I feel the need to make a distinction between intercepted passes and wayward passes.
When Tunisia were playing ultra defensive football, most of the Super Falcons’ passes were destined for the recipients but were brutally intercepted by the Tunisians who had numerical advantage.
Wayward passes, on the other hand, are passes misplaced, misdirected or mishit and, in the game I saw, most of the Super Falcons’ passes were unsuccessful due to interceptions and not waywardness.
Juxtapose this with later in the first half and second half when the Tunisians actually, finally came out to play football, the Super Falcons’ now had Real Estate to play with, hence many of their passes were now more successful and they had spells of sustained passing regiments.
Look at the last goal, a long driven pass from right back found Okoronkwo (Ohale tried and failed to tread this kind of pass in the first half because the Tunisian half was over-crowded). Then Okoronkwo quickly located the overlapping run of Plumptre (because Madugu directed her to make such runs). Plumptre meets the ball, delivers a deft cross back to Okoronkwo, who is now neck deep in opposition box 18, to attract 2 opposition defenders to herself thereby engineering Iheuzo to be unmarked to receive her (Okoronkwo’s) headed flick on, before burying it for 3:0.
When people say they didn’t notice any coaching input from the way the Super Falcons’ prosecuted that match, I humbly ask them to divorce emotions and negative preconceptions from their analysis of Madugu’s methods.
Madugu’s open wing-play dependent method comes to life against oppositions who come out to play football.
Ghana, South Africa, Zambia and Algeria will not want to be seen to be showing Nigeria too much respect. They will seek to attack and impose themselves. Then we will truly see what Madugu is made of with this calibre of Falcons.
I am not tipping him to lift the trophy but I am sticking my neck out for the Super Falcons to play vibrant football and go far in this tournament under him, largely dependent on how the oppositions choose to play.