With emotions rising ahead of the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) semi-final, Super Falcons captain Rasheedat Ajibade has made it clear that the team is keeping its eyes firmly on the prize and is undistracted by off-pitch challenges or previous heartbreaks.
The captain believes and insists the Falcons are ready to write a new chapter.
The Nigerian side will face defending champions Banyana Banyana of South Africa in a fiery rematch of the 2022 edition where Nigeria fell short.
Rasheedat Ajibade – “This is our responsibility… ”
Speaking ahead of the game, Rasheedat Ajibade lifted the lid on the team’s mentality:
“To be honest, there’s a lot happening behind the scenes, but we don’t allow that to stop us, because for us, this is what we love to do, this is our job, and this is what we’re doing for ourselves. We’re doing it for those young girls who aspire to become a professional performer someday.”
“So we know that this is a responsibility that is really good at home, so yeah, we’re taking that responsibility for every honour, and we keep giving our best until the very end, because it’s an honour and a privilege to carry the flag of Nigeria, so we’re representing like 22 million people.”
“We know what responsibility is all about, so we have to be mentally focused, so we just keep doing our job, keep the focus high, keep the energy high on the team, and we keep doing our best every game.”
The Ex-Atlético Madrid star also praised the team’s defensive discipline and hunger to make history:
“It’s honestly not easy to play without conceding a goal from the start of a tournament, yeah, and we are very slow, and you can see that we keep growing as the game progresses.”
“We want to continue and keep making history for ourselves as players, because people have gone ahead of us and they understand that, so we also want to set a standard for those coming behind us, keep moving on to the next, and every stage, and every opportunity that we have to do it.”
Super Falcons Players Speak Ahead of Semifinals
Super Falcons defender Ashley Plumptre, who was part of the side that lost to South Africa in the 2022 group stage, is relishing the opportunity to rewrite history.
Chiwendu Ihezuo:
In fine form with three goals already at this tournament, forward Chiwendu Ihezuo is brimming with confidence ahead of the semi-final clash.
Nnadozie: “We want to play all 6 games”
Safe hands Chiamaka Nnadozie, who has kept clean sheets in all matches so far, spoke on the team’s desire to go all the way.
The goal is to play six games, and that the team is not taking their eyes off that.
She urged her teammates to put in great effort and the need to stay focused.”
Echegini: “Missed chances are about mentality”
Midfielder Jennifer Echegini appreciated the fans’ unwavering support and promised the Falcons would not let them down.
She thanked all the Nigerian fans standing with the team and assured they will keep making them proud.
She also spoke on the psychological side of the game ahead of the crucial clash and the need to be composed in front of goal.
She stated that most missed chances come from mentality rather than technique but if they believe, they’ll succeed.”
Next Up: Nigeria vs South Africa – WAFCON Semi-Final Rematch
