Nigeria: Super Falcons Ready to Continue Recent Improvements Against World Cup Co-Hosts

11 April 2023
Premium Times (Abuja)
By Tunde Eludini

The Falcons will be gunning for another win over New Zealand to improve their confidence in preparation for the World Cup

The Super Falcons are determined to make it three wins on the bounce when they face World Cup co-hosts New Zealand in Turkey on Tuesday.

After a seven-game losing streak, the Falcons appear to be back on track with recent triumphs over Costa Rica and Haiti.

Team captain Onome Ebi fully aware they are yet to win back the confidence of the fans assured that the Falcons will go all out for another win over New Zealand to prove their recent successes is no fluke.

Revival

The nine-time African champions defeated Haiti in Antalya on Thursday, thanks to goals from Esther Okoronkwo and Asisat Oshoala, marking it their second consecutive win on the road.

Previously, they managed a 1-0 victory over Costa Rica at the Revelation Cup Tournament in Mexico, with Okoronkwo scoring the decisive goal.

"We have to maintain the form that we have attained over the past two matches," Ebi told thenff.com after the team's final training session at the Emir Sports Complex on Sunday.

"It is important for us to keep up the momentum, to keep winning and know that we can always overwhelm our opponents. The spirit is back, and we are determined to sustain it."

The match against New Zealand will take place on Tuesday at the Mardan Sports Complex in Antalya, kicking off at 4 pm Turkish time (2 pm Nigeria time).

Ebi, a veteran who has participated in five FIFA World Cup finals (USA 2003, China 2007, Germany 2011, Canada 2015, and France 2019), is gearing up for her sixth appearance at the prestigious event for women when the Falcons face co-hosts Australia, Canada, and the Republic of Ireland in Melbourne and Brisbane this summer.

"We suffered a poor patch for some months, but we are happy to start winning again. The hard job is to sustain the winning streak, and we're ready to do that hard work," Ebi concluded.

Good match

While the New Zealand national women's team are ranked 25th in the world, the Super Falcons are several places behind in the 42nd position.

This may, however, count for less as New Zealand are yet to win any game this year having suffered losses against top teams like the United States, Portugal and even Argentina.

Indeed, any margin of victory for coach Randy Waldrum's ladies will be a big statement heading to the FIFA Women's World Cup scheduled for 20 July to 20 August 2023.

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