RANDY Waldrum has returned as the head coach of the Super Falcons of Nigeria to take charge of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games women’s football event qualifying tie against Cameroon.
The American had stayed away from the nine-time African champions after leading them to an impressive campaign at the 2023 Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand last August but he has now extended his contract and appeared to have resolved his issues with the Nigeria Football Federation.
Waldrum, 67, will be in charge when the Super Falcons face the Indomitable Lionesses in Doula on Friday and the return leg in Abuja on Monday.
The Super Falcons will jet off to Douala tomorrow night as they continue the quest to earn a first Olympic ticket in 16 years.
The African giants last participated at the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament in China in 2008, when they recorded lone goal defeats against Democratic Republic of Korea and Germany in Shenyang, and a 3-1 loss to Brazil in Beijing to crash out at the group stage.
They were prevented from qualifying for the London 2012 Olympics by Cameroon, Rio 2016 by Equatorial Guinea and Tokyo 2020 by Cote d’Ivoire.
The Super Falcons have already seen off Ethiopia in this qualifying campaign and would still face a final round if they beat Cameroon over two legs.
Ugandan Shamirah Nabadda will be the centre referee in Douala on Friday, with her compatriots Lydia Nantabo, Jane Mutonyi and Diana Murungi serving as assistant referee 1, assistant referee 2 and fourth official respectively.
Khadija Rezzag from Morocco will be the referee assessor while Lukusa Kanjinga from Democratic Republic of Congo will be the commissioner.
Waldrum has selected 21 players, who will all be on the trip to Douala, and then fly down to Abuja on Sunday morning for the return leg against the Lionesses, which will be held at the MKO Abiola National Stadium on Monday evening.
Waldrum and his assistants will lead the full squad on a training session at the main bowl of MKO Abiola National Stadium tomorrow evening before the delegation’s departure to Douala. The team will have the official training at the Stade de la Reunification in Douala on Thursday evening.
By this afternoon, only attacking midfielder Toni Payne and forward Uchenna Kanu were being expected at the Super Falcons camp, with Kanu scheduled to arrive tonight and Payne expected tomorrow morning.
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