In a thrilling 5-0 victory against The Tubarões Azuis of Cape Verde at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium Abuja, the Super Falcons showcased their prowess in the 2024 African Women’s Nations Cup qualifier. Stand-in captain Rasheedat Ajibade shared her thoughts on the match, emphasizing the team’s commitment to continuous improvement.
Ajibade, echoing the sentiments of the coach, commented, “Like coach said, it is still a work in progress, and we just have to build on this place where we stopped today. It is not the best game; we could be better because we set a standard for ourselves, so we just have to keep building up on this standard.”
Highlighting the blend of youthful energy and experienced legs on the field, she noted, “It is very important that you have youthful players on the team, and you also have experienced players because sometimes experience beats youthfulness. When you have both the youths and experienced ones on the pitch, it really helps.”
Ajibade specifically mentioned the impact of Osinachi Ohale, stating, “We can see the impact of Osinachi Ohale in the defense line being very experienced, and she was able to bring in her experience to help the young ones on the team.”
On her consistent performance in the Nigeria National Team Jersey, the Athletico Madrid Women’s team attacker attributed it to divine grace and a relentless pursuit of greatness. She said, “For me, I don’t get carried away by the little success. I believe whichever level that I am today, I could be more, so it’s just all about aspiring more, dreaming more, and achieving those heights.”
Despite not finding the net herself, Ajibade emphasized the collective nature of the sport, stating, “The most important thing is the team game. Individually, we are not important; the team is important than I am. So, it’s not about me scoring. Every goal comes from one person doing one thing and another giving the passes to help the team.”
As for the resounding 5-0 victory, it marked Nigeria’s biggest win in a competitive fixture since beating Equatorial Guinea 6-0 at the CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in 2018.
Looking ahead, Ajibade acknowledged the importance of maintaining their advantage, with Cape Verde and Nigeria set to meet again for the second leg on December 5 at the Estádio Nacional de Cabo Verde in Praia.
