Eguavoen confident Super Falcons will reach LA 2028 Olympics

IKENNE, OGUN STATE (Made In Africa Sport) – Super Falcons interim head coach Augustine Eguavoen believes Super Falcons have the quality to secure qualification for the LA 2028 Olympic Games after opening their campaign with a 2-0 victory over Comoros in the second round of the African qualifiers.

Second-half goals from Michelle Alozie and Uchenna Kanu gave Nigeria a comfortable advantage in Friday’s first leg at the Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne, following a goalless opening 45 minutes.

Speaking at the post-match press conference alongside goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie, Eguavoen expressed confidence in the team’s potential and urged Nigerians to continue supporting the Super Falcons as they pursue an Olympic return.

Eguavoen also reflected on Nigeria’s recent disappointment in the race for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup, insisting that the experience should serve as a lesson for the team going forward.

Eguavoen urges fans to back Falcons

Eguavoen acknowledged the disappointment surrounding Nigeria’s recent setbacks but maintained that the team could respond positively and compete for a place at the Olympics.

“It was not a disaster during WAFCON, for the fact that we dominated Africa for a very long time. It was expected,” Eguavoen said.

“The painful thing is the World Cup and that the country we played was drawn for the World Cup,” he added.

The coach noted that opponents often raise their performance when facing Nigeria, making it important for the Super Falcons to learn from their recent experiences.

“Bottom line is any team that plays against the Nigeria national team tends to raise their game, so it is a lesson we learned as a group. Going forward, we will not let such a mistake happen,” he said.

Eguavoen also called on supporters to stand behind the team, stressing that their progress would require collective effort.

“It is not so easy, but we know now, and all we beg from you is to support us in every way you can because best believe this team has potential,” he concluded.

Coach admits first-half concerns

Despite Nigeria’s dominance in the opening half against Comoros, the Super Falcons went into the break without a goal, raising questions about their finishing.

Eguavoen admitted he felt nervous as the team struggled to convert its chances but said he remained confident that the breakthrough would eventually come.

“I was nervous to start. It was an away game anyway, and a draw away from home would’ve been good, but not for our own pedigree and the quality we have,” he said.

“We played Comoros with utmost respect, but the first half was a bit worrisome, but I knew we were going to score because we were dominating from the beginning to the end of the first half,” he added.

The Super Falcons eventually found their rhythm after the interval, with Alozie breaking the deadlock before Kanu added a second goal to put Nigeria in control of the tie.

While acknowledging Comoros’ resistance, Eguavoen maintained that Nigeria had demonstrated their superiority over the course of the contest.

“Comoros team gave a good fight, but we still showed our superiority,” he said.

Oshoala unavailable for return leg

Eguavoen also confirmed that experienced forward Asisat Oshoala would miss both legs of the Olympic qualifying tie as she recovers from a hamstring injury.

Her absence leaves Nigeria without one of their most experienced attacking options, although the team managed to secure a two-goal advantage in the opening fixture.

The Super Falcons will face Comoros again on Tuesday, 13 October, at the Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne for the return leg. Both matches are being staged in Nigeria because Comoros does not have a Confederation of African Football-approved venue for international fixtures.

Nigeria must protect their advantage to advance to the next stage of the qualifying series. The winner of the tie will progress to the third round, where Morocco await following the withdrawal of the Republic of the Congo.

With only two African places available for the LA 2028 Women’s Football Tournament, Eguavoen’s immediate task is to guide the Super Falcons through the Comoros challenge and keep their Olympic ambitions on course.

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