Defending champions, the Super Falcons of Nigeria will seek to get their campaign at the 2018 Africa Women’s Cup of Nations back on track when they face the Shepolopolo of Zambia in their second Group B game at the Cape Coast Stadium today (Wednesday).
The Super Falcons fell to a shocking 1-0 defeat to the Banyana Banyana of South Africa in their opening game on Sunday with substitute Chrestina Thembi Kgatlana grabbing the winning goal with a sublime finish five minutes from time.
Anything short of a win in this encounter may spell doom for the Super Falcons aspiration of progressing further in the competition.
Handler of the team, Thomas Dennerby will hope top stars like Asisat Oshoala, Desire Oparanozie and Francisca Ordega who failed to make much impact against the Banyana Banyana rise up to the occasion in this crucial game.
“We are all motivated because it’s our career, no one will say I have won the World Cup 100 times or 400 times am not going to give my best. It’s our career, It’s something we choose to do, so we are not going to go there and say because of something or whatever we are not going to give our best. The last game shouldn’t bring anything negative to the team because we always put our head high to make sure we deliver tomorrow,” dependable defender Osinachi ohale told reporters on Tuesday.
“Of course we know tomorrow’s game is a crucial one and we are also prepared, we have seen our last game, made some corrections and hopefully we are going to put everything we did in practice into tomorrow’s game.
“For our supporters and people who do much believe in us, I urge them to keep believing in us, because we are not going to disappoint them, we have never done that before and we will deliver tomorrow.”
The Shepolopolo on their part started the competition in convincing version thrashing former champions, Equatorial Guinea 5-0 in their opening game on Sunday.
The trio of Rachel Kundananji, Irene Lungu and Mary Mwakapila were all impressive against Equatorial Guinea and will no doubt worry the Nigeria defence.
Apart from the title, at stake are also places for the FIFA Women’s World Cup in France next year which is reserved for the finalists in this tournament.