Super Falcons head coach Augustine Eguavoen and goal keeper Chiamaka Nnadozie have shared their thoughts following Nigeria’s 2-0 victory over Comoros in the first leg of the 2028 Olympic Games qualifiers at the Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne, Ogun State.
Goals from Michelle Alozie and Uchenna Kanu in the second half handed Nigeria a deserved advantage ahead of Tuesday’s return leg, but both Eguavoen and Nnadozie stressed that the job is far from finished.
Watch Michelle Alozie goal;
Despite Nigeria dominating possession and creating several opportunities before the break, the Super Falcons failed to score in the opening 45 minutes.
Eguavoen admitted the situation made him nervous but remained confident that the breakthrough would eventually come.
“The nil-nil was a bit worrisome. I knew at some point we would score. It was just a matter of time because we were dominating the game from beginning to the end of the first half.”
The coach also praised Comoros for their resilience while insisting Nigeria showed their superiority over the course of the contest.
When asked whether the Super Falcons missed the experience of Asisat Oshoala, Eguavoen acknowledged that the striker’s absence was felt but stressed that the team is bigger than any individual player.
He revealed that Oshoala was unavailable due to a hamstring injury after discussions between both parties.
You can’t beat experience. Unfortunately Oshoala wasn’t here because she had a slight hamstring injury, but it’s about the Super Falcons, it’s about Nigeria, it’s about the collective.
According to the coach, the strong unity within the squad means any player can step up and make a difference when called upon.
Super Falcons goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie urged Nigerians not to judge opponents solely by reputation, noting that football has become increasingly competitive.
While pleased with the first-leg result, she insisted the team must remain focused heading into the second encounter.
Football these days is no longer a place where you define a team by the name of the country. We are not done yet.
The Brighton goalkeeper also warned that Comoros would come into the second leg determined to overturn the deficit.
They will come back with everything to make sure they get a result, but we will keep working hard, stay focused and make sure we finish the job well.
Nigeria’s two goals arrived from set-piece situations, and Eguavoen revealed that attacking improvements were discussed at half-time.
The coach admitted that the team’s final ball and finishing were not at the required level during the first half.
The final ball delivery was a problem. We talked about it at the end of the first half. I won’t tell you what we discussed, but we talked about it.
He added that further work will be done on attacking play and set-piece execution before the return fixture.
Eguavoen also praised the integration of younger players from the Falconets and Flamingos into the senior squad.
The coach highlighted the role played by experienced members of the team in helping the younger players settle quickly.
The senior players welcomed them with open arms. The blend of experience and youthfulness is very good going forward.
He believes exposing promising young players to the senior environment is an important part of building the next generation of Super Falcons stars.
Reflecting on Nigeria’s recent setbacks, including the disappointment of failing to qualify for the FIFA Women’s World Cup, Eguavoen said important lessons have been learned.
The former Super Eagles coach urged Nigerians to continue supporting the team as they pursue qualification for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
Every team that plays against Nigeria wants to raise their game. It’s a lesson we have learned. All we ask is that Nigerians support us and believe in this team because this team has potential.
With a 2-0 advantage secured, the Super Falcons are firmly in control of the tie. However, both Eguavoen and Nnadozie made it clear that there will be no complacency as Nigeria prepares for Tuesday’s decisive second-leg encounter.
The nine-time African champions will now look to build on their first-leg success and seal qualification to the next stage of the Olympics 2028 qualifiers.
