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Super Falcons midfielder Toni Payne has said she and her teammates are ready for Cameroon’s physical approach in their Women’s African Cup of Nations (WAFCON) quarterfinal encounter on Sunday, completesports.com reports.
How Nigeria And Cameroon Reached Quarterfinals
After a shock 3-2 defeat in their opening Group C match against Malawi, the Super Falcons bounced back to eventually qualify for the quarterfinals, thanks to wins against Zambia and Egypt.
For Cameroon, they finished top of Group D with victories against Ghana and Mali and a draw with Cape Verde who made their first appearance in the WAFCON.
This would be the second time the Super Falcons and Cameroon would clash in the WAFCON quarterfinals, with the former securing a 1-0 win thanks to Rasheedat Ajibade’s second half strike in 2022.
Overall, this would be the 11th meetings between the two heavyweights in the knockout stages of the tournament. The Super Falcons have won nine and lost just once in the previous ties.
Also Read: How Super Falcons Fared Against Cameroon In 10 Previous WAFCON Knockout Matches
One thing the Falcons players should be ready to contend with is the physical style of football by the Cameroonians, a common feature of the country’s teams both men and women.
When asked, in Saturday’s press conference, how prepared she and are teammates are in terms of handling the physical approach of Sunday’s opponent, Payne stated that they are ready.
“We know it’s going to be a physical game but that’s something we have always prepared for,” she said. “A lot of us have been playing football a long time and we know what it takes to win games.”
Payne noted that everyone is confident going into this game. She said it was their goal to go through the group stage and have a chance of qualifying for the World Cup, which they did so are ready to continue to that next step.
Targeting 11th WAFCON Title
On the thought of not getting tired of winning the WAFCON title despite being 10 times champions, she said:”I don’t think anyone gets tired of winning, we can appreciate every accomplishment that we made, we are just as hungry and an opportunity to win an 11th title is what we are looking forward to.”
By James Agberebi
