Afrigather Nigeria’s Tremendous Falcons cruised to a 4-0 win (5-1 combination win) over Ethiopia to advance to the third spherical of the CAF Olympic Video games qualifying sequence.
A brace from Atletico Madrid midfielder Rasheedat Ajibade and additional objectives from Uchenna Kanu and Asisat Oshoala did the trick for the previous African champions.
Listed below are the most important takeaways from the win:
NFF vs Waldrum cat-and-mouse sport
As within the first leg, head coach Randy Waldrum couldn’t lead the Tremendous Falcons towards the Ethiopians.
Waldrum missed the primary leg on account of private commitments, however the Nigeria Soccer Federation had indicated that the American gaffer could be out there for the second leg.
Just a few hours earlier than the conflict, nonetheless, the NFF spokesperson clarified that they weren’t anticipating Waldrum to come back for the match.
And thus, the cat-and-mouse sport between the 2 events continues.
Clearly, the NFF needs Waldrum out of the pinnacle coach function after he criticised the physique for its monetary mismanagement simply earlier than the beginning of the 2023 World Cup.
Sadly for the NFF, Nigerian followers’ love for the person quadrupled following the Falcons’ glorious outing in Australia and New Zealand.
The soccer physique doesn’t need to renew Waldrum’s contract and has stored him out of the staff’s engagements because the Mundial.
Lovers of the Falcons can’t wait to see how the NFF wriggle itself out of the current mess.
The Falcons lacked various towards Ethiopia
The Tremendous Falcons, beneath the steering of Waldrum, regarded like a staff able to profitable the World Cup in August if they’d gotten previous England.
However within the absence of the American gaffer, the nine-time WAFCON queens performed extra like geese than Falcons in Addis Ababa and within the first half in Abuja.
The staff regarded disjointed, lacked path, and confirmed no teamwork for greater than 135 minutes.
Nevertheless, there was marked enchancment within the second 45 minutes contained in the MKO Abiola Stadium as followers noticed a glimpse of the Falcons that introduced pleasure to tens of millions on the World Cup.
Falcons can’t financial institution on Asisat Oshoala for Olympics ticket
Oshoala is Africa and Nigeria’s greatest participant in the meanwhile. And it was confirmed on Thursday when she was named among the many Ballon d’Or’s high twenty greatest ladies gamers on the planet.
The Barcelona ahead did nice towards Ethiopia as she scored a nice header and offered two different assists to fireside Nigeria to a nice win.
However that was her second aim in over 4 years for Nigeria. Her first was the winner towards Australia in July.
Oshoala might and will have had extra objectives throughout that interval, particularly over the 2 legs towards Ethiopia, however she was wasteful.
For Nigeria to qualify for the Olympics, the staff’s coaches should admit that Oshoala just isn’t as prolific for the Falcons as she is for Barcelona.
And one other must be groomed as Nigeria’s new quantity 9 whereas Oshoala drops to being a creator both from the wings or the centre.
Present Monday or Uchenna Kanu has a greater nostril for scoring objectives, and Rinsola Babajide can understudy her.
The Falcons want a brand new aim queen within the mould of Perpetual Nkwocha, and Oshoala just isn’t that individual.
Ajibade is the perfect captain after Ebi
Rasheedat Ajibade captained the Tremendous Falcons over the 2 legs towards Ethiopia, and what a improbable job she did.
Ordinarily, within the absence of Onome Ebi, Oshoala is the stand-in captain.
However Ajibade was entrusted with that accountability in Addis Ababa, and she or he didn’t disappoint as she ensured the staff didn’t lose their head or the match regardless of the numerous unfavourable situations they confronted.
The 23-year-old scored the equaliser to earn Nigeria a 1-1 draw final week.
Ajibade delivered the products once more within the return leg as she scored the Falcons’ second aim early within the second half to calm fraying nerves within the stands and the dugouts.
She then accomplished her brace to make it four-nil for Nigeria as she confirmed extra composure in entrance of objectives than the strikers in entrance of her.
Oshoala could be the greatest star of this staff, however Ajibade just isn’t that far behind.
