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Johnny Edward.
Five-time African Player of The Year Asisat Oshoala feels the Super Falcons have a biG chance of qualifying for the next round of the 2023 Women’s World Cup, The PUNCH reports.
The Falcons are drawn against co-hosts Australia, Olympic champions Canada and debutants Ireland in Group B.
“I think we have a really good group. It’s the World Cup and it’s not meant to be easy or a walk in the park,” Oshoala told BBC.
“With the group we have, I feel we have a chance.
“We get to play Canada, a team we know very well, and of course Australia,” Oshoala added.
“It won’t be easy against the Republic of Ireland, but we had Australia in our 2015 group. We lost to them 2-0.
It’s a good opportunity for us to come back and also prove that we’ve improved from the team they played seven years ago.
“We have a very good group and are really excited for the tournament.”
She also hopes she gets selected for the tournament.
“I hope I get picked to go to the tournament because it’s the coach who makes the World Cup selection,” she added.
“If I get an opportunity to play for the national team during this tournament, I would give 100 per cent. I’m really looking forward to it. Really excited for this one and let’s see what 2023 brings to us.”
The tournament will begin July 20 next year, with Nigeria opening their campaign against Canada in Melbourne July 21, before facing Australia and the Republic of Ireland in Brisbane.
All three countries sit above Nigeria in the world rankings, with Canada seventh, Australia 13th and the Republic of Ireland in 24th – some 21 places above the West Africans.
The nine-time African champions played two friendlies against Canada in April, losing 2-0 before a 2-2 draw, but the World Cup fixture will be the third meeting between the two nations at the tournament.
Their first encounter was a 3-3 draw at the 1995 World Cup in Sweden, followed by a 1-0 win for Nigeria in a dead rubber at the 2011 global showpiece, while the West Africans lost 2-0 to Australia in the 2015 edition.