‘No pressure’: Comoros captain unfazed by Super Falcons challenge in LA 2028 Olympics qualifier

IKENNE, NIGERIA (Made In Africa Sport) – Comoros captain Assimina Maoulida says her team will enjoy the challenge of facing Nigeria’s Super Falcons as they pursue a place at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.

Maoulida and head coach Yusuf Abdullah addressed the media on Thursday ahead of Friday’s first leg of their second-round CAF Women’s Olympic Football Tournament qualifier at the Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne, Ogun State.

Despite facing Nigeria, 10-time African champions with a long history of success in women’s football, the Comoros captain insisted her side would not be weighed down by the occasion.

“It is a football match, and we are going to play to have some fun and see what happens at the end, as we do not put any pressure on ourselves,” she said during the press conference.

Comoros head into the tie after an emphatic 30-0 aggregate victory over Sudan in the first round, winning 17-0 in the first leg before completing a 13-0 victory in the return fixture.

The result set up a much tougher test against the Super Falcons, who are seeking a second consecutive Olympic appearance after returning to the competition at Paris 2024 following a 16-year absence.

Comoros coach promises serious contest

Abdullah acknowledged the quality and experience of Nigeria’s team but said his players would approach the fixture with the intention of securing a positive result.

“To meet a team with so much experience and such a level is already an honour,” he said, according to Echo News.

“We are aware of the difficulty that we have to climb, but if we are here, it is to play a serious match.”

The Comoros coach added that his team would not approach the contest expecting defeat.

“We do not think about defeat. We came to play a match in a serious manner, and we will do everything so that the outcome is favourable to us,” Abdullah said.

He also believes the tie will represent an important step in the development of women’s football in Comoros, regardless of the result.

Olympic dream at stake

Comoros’ 30-goal haul against Sudan demonstrated their attacking potential, but the encounter with Nigeria will provide a different test against one of the continent’s most established teams.

The first leg is scheduled for Friday, 9 October, with kick-off at 6pm Nigerian time at Remo Stars Stadium. The return fixture will take place at the same venue on Tuesday, 13 October, with the aggregate score determining which team advances.

The matches are being staged in Nigeria because Comoros does not have a stadium approved by the Confederation of African Football for the fixtures.

The winners of the tie will advance to the third round of the African qualifiers, continuing their pursuit of one of the continent’s two places in the women’s football tournament at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.

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