Super Falcons Interim Head Coach Augustine Eguavoen has praised his players for their team spirit and resilience following Nigeria’s 2-0 victory over Comoros in the first leg of the second round of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic qualifiers.
Speaking at the post-match press conference, Eguavoen admitted that he felt nervous at half-time despite Nigeria’s dominance in the opening period, as the Super Falcons had failed to convert their chances before the break.
“I was nervous at half-time because, although we were playing at home, considering our pedigree and quality, I knew we were going to score. It was just a matter of time,” Eguavoen said.
He acknowledged Comoros’ efforts but maintained that Nigeria controlled much of the first half, creating several opportunities before eventually finding the breakthrough after the restart.
“Comoros put up a good fight, but we showed our team spirit,” he added.
Michelle Alozie opened the scoring in the 48th minute before Uchenna Kanu doubled Nigeria’s advantage from a corner kick in the 60th minute. Both goals came from set-piece situations, an aspect Eguavoen said the technical crew would continue to work on ahead of the return fixture.
The Coach explained that the team had discussed its missed chances during the first half and would continue working to improve its finishing in front of goal.
“We discussed how we wasted our chances in front of goal in the first half. We eventually got our goals from set pieces, and we will work on that before the second leg,” he said.
Eguavoen also praised Christy Ucheibe, who featured at centre-back, explaining that his tactical approach allows players to operate in different positions when required.
“My philosophy is for the players to be able to play for us in more than one position. We discussed it with the players, and we are blessed with talented footballers who can play in different positions,” he explained.
The coach further expressed satisfaction with the integration of the new players who made their senior international debuts against Comoros, crediting the more experienced members of the squad for helping them settle into the team.
He noted that creating a comfortable environment for the newcomers was important to ensuring they could perform confidently and contribute to the team’s objectives.
Eguavoen also reflected on Nigeria’s recent disappointment at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, rejecting the suggestion that the campaign should be regarded as a disaster. However, he acknowledged that the outcome of the tournament had left the team with an important lesson, particularly regarding the challenge of facing opponents who raise their level against Nigeria.
According to the Coach, every team approaches a match against the Super Falcons with added determination, and Nigeria must learn from past experiences to avoid repeating previous mistakes.
While acknowledging that the road ahead would not be easy, Eguavoen expressed optimism about the team’s potential and called on Nigerians to continue supporting the players.
