By Moses Eloho
Rasheedat Ajibade, standing in as captain, emphasizes the need for continued hard work by the Super Falcons despite their resounding 5-0 victory against Cape Verde in the first leg of the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifier at the Moshood Abiola Stadium, Abuja.
Uchenna Kanu and Esther Okoronwko both secured a brace, with Gift Monday contributing a goal to the commanding win. For Cape Verde to prevent the Super Falcons from securing a spot in the 2024 WAFCON finals hosted by Morocco, they must score six goals without conceding in the upcoming reverse fixture.
Ajibade acknowledges the team’s success in the first leg but emphasizes the importance of staying grounded. She echoed the sentiments of the coach, stating, “It is still a work in progress, and we just have to build on this place where we stopped today. It is not the best game; we could be better because we set a standard for ourselves, so we just have to keep building up on this standard,” as she shared with reporters.
Due to the absence of key players, interim head coach Justin Madugu introduced young players to the team, and Ajibade underscores the significance of a balanced team comprising both youth and experience. She notes, “It is very important that you have youthful players on the team, and you also have experienced players because sometimes experience beats youthfulness. When you have both the youths and experienced ones on the pitch, it really helps.”
With the second leg scheduled for the Estadio Nacional de Cabo Verde in Praia next Tuesday, the Super Falcons aim to maintain their strong position and secure their place in the 2024 WAFCON finals.