Victor Ikpeba, former African Footballer of the Year, has lauded the Super Falcons of Nigeria for their spirited performance in a narrow loss to Brazil in their 2024 Summer Olympics opener, reports Soccernet.ng. The ex-AS Monaco forward commended the Nigerian team for their dedication and heart, emphasizing their efforts for both their country and continent.
Randy Waldrum’s squad put up a strong fight, making it tough for the South Americans in their first Group C match at the Matmut Atlantique Stadium. Despite the 1-0 loss, the 11-time Women’s Africa Cup of Nations champions managed 15 goal attempts, with Gremio goalkeeper Lorena making several outstanding saves to deny Nigeria a lead.
As reported by the internet,Ikpeba, highlighted the Nigerian side’s commendable efforts and their near misses.
"You just must commend the girls; they gave everything, played with heart, determination, and passion,” Ikpeba said. “They had their moments in the first half, but unfortunately, they didn’t capitalize on them. They probably lacked the quality in attack, but they have everything to be proud of.”
The former Super Eagles player, capped 31 times, emphasized that the Nigerian men’s senior national team could learn from the Falcons’ fighting spirit. “The Super Eagles must learn from how they fight for each other,” he added.
Looking ahead, the Nigerian women’s team faces an even tougher challenge as they take on the current Women’s World Cup champions, Spain, in their upcoming game at the Stade De La Beaujoire. Ikpeba believes Nigeria’s key to progressing from the group lies in their match against Japan. He expressed confidence in the Falcons’ ability to compete fiercely against Spain and Japan.
“They are a very physical side, and the coach has set them up well. They will certainly make life difficult for the other teams in this group, Spain and Japan,” he predicted. “It may not be entirely a lost cause against Spain in their next game, but I believe the key to qualification will be against Japan. They need to win that game to stay alive.”
