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By Johnny Edward.
The Super Falcons will look to end their winless streak of five games against Mexico at the Revelation Cup tourney, which kicks off on Wednesday (today) in Leon, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
Hosts Mexico, Nigeria, Costa Rica and Colombia are the participating teams at the tournament, which has the objective of preparing the contestants for the forthcoming FIFA Women’s World Cup finals in Australia and New Zealand this summer.
The nine-time African champions, who finished fourth at the 2022 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, last won a game in July 2022 — a 1-0 win over Cameroon in the quarter-finals of WAFCON.
The Falcons will be banking on the in-form Barcelona Femenin forward Asisat Oshoala, who has scored 17 goals in 18 games this season to end their poor run, despite being 10 spots adrift Mexico, who are ranked 35th by FIFA in the current world rankings.
The Nigerian striker has scored three hat-tricks in her last four games for Barcelona and she is top of the goalscoring chart in Liga Feminine.
Speaking ahead of the tournament, Falcons coach Randy Waldrum believes his side has a lot to offer with the surge of new talents emerging from within and outside the country in recent times.
He is also optimistic of a good outing in Leon.
“I think the current Falcons squad is loaded with so many talented players,” Waldrum told the NFF. “ “There are a lot of players that have much to offer in the team and I am reasonably excited and hopeful,” Waldrum told thenff.com
“Oshoala is in great form and we all know what she is capable of. When you add players like Desire Oparanozie, who is also very much in the mix and Ifeoma Onumonu, Rasheedat Ajibade and Esther Okoronkwo, no doubt, we have so many effective weapons offensively.
“I am confident that we can build something special with this squad. We have also got some bright players like Rofiat Imuran coming in, in her twenties, same with Tosin Demehin, to go along with experienced players like Osinachi Ohale. Ashleigh Plumptre has also been a great addition for us at the back. I think I love the strength of the team; it’s just about getting the best eleven to play on the pitch.”
Despite his praises for erstwhile captain of the team Oparanozie, it’s no surprise as the China-based forward was excluded from the squad, once again.
Oparanozie has been at loggerheads with the football authorities after she led a protest over bonus payment and welfare of the side at the 2019 World Cup in France.
There was thereafter stripped of the team’s captaincy and has only played bit roles ever since.
Waldrum also believes transfers to bigger clubs and leagues involving some players would also move up the confidence needle for the players as they prepare to square up with the very best players globally in Australia and New Zealand.
Familiar faces Francisca Ordega (CSKA Moscow, Russia), Halimatu Ayinde (FC Rosengard, Sweden), Ngozi Okobi-Okeoghene, who recently joined Spanish side Levante and striker Rasheedat Ajibade (Atletico Madrid, Spain) are part of the set-up in Mexico, while forward Chinwendu Ihezuo (Rayadas Monterrey, Mexico) returns to the side after sometime out.
Close followers of the team will be watching to see how American Waldrum will weave the magic as the Falcons have largely underperformed on the global stage and outside the continent.
After their game against Mexico, the Falcons will be up against Colombia at 1pm Mexico time (7pm Nigeria time) on Saturday. Costa Rica will be their last opponents, both teams locking horns as from 5pm Mexico time (11pm Nigeria time) next Tuesday, before hosts Mexico and Colombia draw the curtain on the tourney.