Olympics: Falcons keeper confident of win over Banyana

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By Ebenezer Bajela

Super Falcons goalkeeper, Linda Jiwuaku, says she is confident that the Super Falcons will beat Banyana Banyana and qualify for the women’s football event of the 2024 Paris Olympics, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

Coach Randy Waldrum on Monday released his squad list of players invited for the last phase of the Paris Olympics qualifying fixture against South Africa.

Among the 22 players called up for the mouth-watering clash are young Bayelsa Queens goalkeeper Jiwuaku and debutant Shukurat Oladipo, who plays for FC Robo Queens.

Nigeria gave the South Africans a great deal of trouble before the last five results, where Banyana have won four and lost one.

But speaking ahead of the encounter, 17-year-old Bayelsa Queen shot-stopper Jiwuaku is confident the Falcons will qualify at the expense of the South Africans.

“I am very much confident ahead of the game because I know we are securing our qualification from South Africa,” she told PUNCH Sports Extra.

On her invitation to the team, she said, “Honestly, I am so happy being called up to the Super Falcons camp for the second time. It is actually a dream come true for me.”

The Falcons are set to take on South Africa in a two-match series, with the first encounter slated for April 5 at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja.

The return leg holds April 9 at the Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria.

The winners of the tie will clinch one of Africa’s two tickets to the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament and join Brazil, Japan and world champions Spain in Group C in the eight-team tournament in Paris in July and August.