The Super Falcons of Nigeria will today take on Cameroon in the second leg qualifier of the London 2012 Olympics. The Super Falcons are heading to Yaoundé with a slim 2-1 advantage and need a draw to qualify for the Olympics. Nigeria has participated in three previous editions of the Olympics; 2000 (Sydney), 2004 (Athens) and 2008 (Beijing).The winner of this game will join South Africa as Africa’s two representatives in the Olympics.
The past months have been bad for Nigerian football. For the first time, the male and female football team failed to qualify for the All Africa Games in Maputo, Mozambique. Also, the Super Eagles failed to qualify for the Nations Cup for the first time in 25 years, leading many to question the state of Nigeria football. Last week, Nigeria’s flag bearer in the CAF Champions League, Enyimba was eliminated from the competition.
The Super Falcons who are the reigning African champions, having won their sixth crown last year in South Africa are under immense pressure to qualify for the Olympics and put smiles back on the faces of Nigerians. Reigning African footballer of the year, Perpetua Nkwocha, will lead the Falcons attack and all hope will be on her to deliver the goods for the country. She scored a hat-trick against Cameroon in the semi finals of the Women Nations Cup, and also was on the score sheet in the first leg in Abuja. She will be hoping to continue her good run of form against the Cameroonians today.
The Lioness of Cameroon will be confident of beating the Super Falcons at home knowing a 1-0 victory will take them through and qualify for the Olympics for the first time in their history. The Cameroonians have never qualified for the Olympics or female World Cup and will be hoping of breaking their jinx today. Earlier this year in the Women Nations Cup, they lost 5-1 to the Falcons in the semi-finals.
Super Falcons coach, Eucharia Uche, is confident that Nigeria will pick the Olympic ticket, she said: “I have no doubt in my mind that we will pick the ticket as we all know there are no longer minnows in African football. The girls know how important this match is to everyone. Cameroon would not stand in our way to achieving our aim.” Coach Uche also insisted that she is not under pressure after the Super Eagles failed to qualify for the Nations Cup. “Super Eagles’ failure to qualify for the Nations Cup has nothing to do with us. I am sure we will qualify for the Olympics, I am quite certain about it.
“I am not under pressure, the only pressure I know I am (under) at the moment is to do the right thing, assemble our best legs and beat Cameroon in Yaounde,” she said. Super Falcons Captain, Precious Dede, is also confident of victory. “We all are working hard towards achieving one-goal victory.
With hard work and God’s special grace, victory is ours.” She stated. Also, Super Falcons’ midfielder, Gloria ‘Eche’ Iroka said: “We must not underrate the Cameroonians.
They showed in the first leg that they are a good side and we must play at a 100 percent (level) to beat them in their home ground.”