The Nigerian women’s national team, the Super Falcons will engage South Africa’s Bayanna Bayanna in a head to head tie to secure qualification for the world’s largest sporting event, Paris 2024 Olympic Games for the first time in 16 years.
The all imoortant match holds today, Tuesday, April 9, at Loftus Versfeld Stadium, located on Kirkness Road in Pretoria, with a capacity of 51,762 spectators.
Recall that last Friday at the MKO Abiola National Stadium in Abuja, the Super Falcons and Bayanna Bayanna clashed in the first leg of the fourth and final playoff match for the Olympics.
Rasheedat Ajibade, a standout from Atletico Madrid secured a crucial first-half penalty, leading the Super Falcons to a slim 1-0 victory over the reigning African Champions, Banyana Banyana.
Coach Randy Waldrum’s team must prevent a loss in today’s return fixture to secure a spot at Paris 2024, with the away goal rule not in effect.
The 11-time WAFCON Champions clinched the anticipated 1-0 win over South Africa at the Moshood Abiola Stadium in Abuja on Friday, and today, Waldrum is optimistic about his team’s chances to win again in the away leg.
Asisat Oshoala missed the first leg match due to her late arrival at the camp, only managing to attend one training session with the team.
Since March 19, 1995, when the Super Falcons defeated Banyana Banyana 7-1 in Johannesburg during a 1995 FIFA Women’s World Cup qualifying match, South Africa is yet to secure a victory over Nigeria in any match held on their home turf.
Out of 24 past meetings, including seven in South Africa, Nigeria has triumphed in 15, with five draws, and South Africa emerging victorious in four instances.
Notably, one of the draws was the final game of the 11th Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, which Nigeria won 4-3 in a penalty shootout in Accra.
South Africa’s four wins were in Bata, Equatorial Guinea (1-0, 2012 Women AFCON); Cape Coast, Ghana (1-0, 2018 Women AFCON); Lagos, Nigeria (4-2, Aisha Buhari Cup); and Rabat, Morocco (2-1, 2022 Women AFCON).
In matches held in South Africa, Nigeria has won five and drawn two out of the seven encounters.
Super Falcon line-up in full:
Chiamaka Nnadozie, Michelle Alozie, Osinachi Ohale, Christy Ucheibe, Chidinma Okeke; Deborah Abiodun, Halimatu Ayinde; Toni Payne; Rasheedat Ajibade, Asisat Oshoala, Uchenna Kanu.
