By: Oluwaseun Michael (Yotomimedia)
Nigeria’s Super Falcons battled to a 1-1 draw with Ethiopia’s Lucy in the first leg of their Paris 2024 Olympic Games qualifier
After their heroics at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, the Nigerians have shifted their energy to qualifying for the Olympics.
Official coach Randy Waldrum missed the game due to personal commitments in the United States as home-based coach, Justin Madugu led the charge.
However, Waldrum is expected to rejoin the team ahead of the second-leg encounter stated for Tuesday, Octor 31, 2023.
Nigeria have scored only four goals in their last five matches now, with three of them coming in a single game against Australia at the World Cup.
Birkie Amare gave the hosts the lead in the sixth minute after she capitalized on a goalmouth scramble before Rasheedat Ajibade equalized shortly after the halftime break with an excellent volley.
The nine-time African champions had another goal ruled out for offside as they settled for a share of the spoils with a team ranked 124th in the world.
The winner on aggregate will play the winner of the Cameroon/Uganda match for a spot in the qualification series’ final round.
With two slots available for CAF representatives, it is only a wise expectation that the most successful African team win their quest to compete for the first time at the Olympic Games since Beijing 2008 in China.
Nigeria must avoid defeat or a draw higher than 1-1 as CAF still uses the away goal rule that eliminated Nigeria in previous qualifiers.
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