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By Peter Akinbo
Super Falcons defender Ashleigh Plumptre says playing against England, the country of her birth, was a “special moment” for her despite the Falcons’ heart-wrenching defeat to England in the round of 16 on Monday.
Nigeria, ranked at 40 by FIFA, exhibited their prowess in the group stage, securing a triumphant victory against co-hosts Australia and valiantly holding Olympic champions Canada and 22nd ranked Ireland to draws, and ultimately securing a well-deserved second-place finish in Group B.
However, their remarkable journey hit a roadblock on Monday as they faced England in a gripping last 16 encounter, culminating in a 4-2 defeat on penalties.
Speaking after the match, Plumptre, who delivered an outstanding performance throughout the tournament, expressed her satisfaction with the Falcons’ display at the Mundial.
“I think everybody counted us out against England. And I’m telling you, after this game, I’m tired of people just saying that African teams are just strong, and they’re just fast, and count us out as being technical or tactical.
“We just pushed England to the very end. And I actually think that we had better chances than them. We made a statement here. We won’t be forgotten for what we’ve done, and this will just be the foundation moving forward. Now we have expectations to get out of the group all the time. To push these teams all the time. We just need to keep believing in ourselves and get the backing we deserve, and I think we can go a long way.”
Plumptre, who represented England at youth level, expressed appreciation for the experiences she had while growing up in the UK and stated firmly that she is now precisely where she is meant to be.
“In the build up to the game, I think I was feeling really excited and really nervous, for me, it was just a special moment, it wasn’t necessarily more pressure.
“I was never going into the game with some vendetta against England, I appreciated the experiences I had when I was there growing up. But now I can say I am exactly where I am meant to be, and I will remember this match for the experience to play alongside these players,” she said.