6 May 2011
Nigeria’s current generation of Super Falcons are desperate to avoid the unwanted record of being the first class of players to fail to qualify for a major tournament.
Last Sunday’s 1-1 draw against Ghana’s Black Queens, in the first leg of qualifying for the All Africa Games, has left the six-time African champions contemplating the real possibility of elimination.
If they fail to overturn the result in Accra next week, they would set the unwanted record of becoming the first Nigerian women’s side to fail to qualify for a major tournament in the history of women’s football in Nigeria.
It is a possibility that fills goalkeeper Tochi Oluehi with dread.
“It will not happen in my time,” she said, “There is no way we will not qualify. The first leg was a very difficult game and we conceded an easy goal a few minutes after we scored.
“But it will not be in our time that we will be the first team not to qualify for a competition, especially one that is played in Africa.”
Oluehi points to history favouring Nigeria after a similar result when the Falcons also drew 1-1 with the Black Queens in the final qualifying tie for the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens.
The Nigerians girls also played out a 1-1 draw in the return fixture in Accra, and went through on penalties.
“We will not even let it get to penalties. When we get there, our target will be to score and win the game before it gets to that.
“They are a good team, but we believe we are better, and we are not even thinking of not qualifying.”
AllAfrica – All the Time
Taken from:
Nigeria/Ghana: Falcons Keen to Avoid Unwanted Record