THE Super Falcons of Nigeria played a 0-0 draw with Cameroon in Douala in the first leg of their Paris 2024 Olympic Games qualifying tie tonight.
The nine-time African champions, looking to return to the Olympics women’s football event for the first time since 2008, fielded a strong team made up of the stars of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup campaign.
Indeed, every member of Super Falcons head coach Randy Waldrum’s starting line-up tonight was at the World Cup in Australia, with Chiamaka Nnadozie in goal, Ashleigh Plumptre making her first appearance since the global tournament, Deborah Abiodun starting in a midfield three with Christy Ucheibe and Halimatu Ayinde, and Asisat Oshoala leading the attack.
The Super Falcons were on the back foot early on at the Stade de la Reunification and needed the brilliant Nnadozie to bail them out, but they created chances of their own with Oshoala almost opening the scoring.
Waldrum, who was handling his first game since the World Cup, made changes early in the second half, bringing on Jennifer Echigini and Esther Okoronkwo for Halimatu Ayinde and
Toni Payne in a bid to spice up the attack.
The substitutes came on in the 47th minute and seven minutes later one of them, Echigini, thought she had given the Super Falcons the lead, but her goal was ruled out for offside.
Waldrum rang more changes with 20 minutes left on the clock, replacing Oshoala with Rinsola Babajide, and Michelle Alozie with Rofiat Imuran in the search for a crucial away goal.
The goal did not come and both teams will do battle again on Monday in Abuja in the second leg.
The winners of the tie on aggregate over the two legs will proceed to the final round of the African qualifying series, to face the winners of the tie between South Africa and Tanzania.
African champions South Africa defeated Tanzania 3-0 in Dar es Salaam in the first leg of their tie earlier today.
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