Super Falcons interim coach Austin Eguavoen and forward Uchenna Kanu have expressed confidence ahead of Nigeria’s second-leg encounter against Comoros in the Olympics 2028 qualifiers, insisting the team remains focused on securing another victory despite carrying a 2-0 advantage from the first leg.
The duo addressed journalists during a pre-match press conference at the Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne, Ogun State, on Monday, October 12, as preparations continued for the crucial return fixture.
While many expected Nigeria to adopt a cautious approach because of their first-leg lead, Eguavoen revealed that the team’s mentality remains unchanged.
“The game plan stays the same. Nothing changes. We are enjoying the first-leg advantage, but we will try as much as possible to wrap it up by winning the next game.”
Interestingly, the coach explained that his primary concern is not necessarily the number of goals scored but the team’s overall organisation and structure on the pitch.
“I’m not really interested in goals. I’m interested in the structure of the team. That’s what I’m really interested in. But the bottom line is to win, and we’ll try to do that tomorrow.”
Respecting Comoros
Despite Nigeria’s advantage and superior experience, Eguavoen warned against taking Comoros lightly.
The Super Falcons coach pointed to the quality within the Comoros squad and expects a more difficult contest than many people anticipate.
“I’m expecting a difficult game, but we’ll try to see how we can make it easy for ourselves.”
The coach also highlighted Comoros’ impressive run before facing Nigeria, stressing that their previous results showed they possess quality and should be treated with respect.
No Injury Concerns
Ahead of the match, Eguavoen provided positive news regarding the squad’s fitness.
“No injury worries.”
With a fully available squad, the coach has the luxury of selecting from a large pool of players, something he believes will benefit Nigeria both now and in the future.
Eguavoen revealed that one of his objectives is to continue building a wider player pool capable of representing the Super Falcons at the highest level.
We are trying to build a bigger pool so that when the games become tougher, we have maybe 40 players to draw from.
For striker Uchenna Kanu, the Olympic qualification campaign represents an opportunity to return Nigeria to one of the biggest stages in world sport.
The forward admitted that representing Nigeria at the Olympic Games remains a major ambition for both herself and her teammates.
Playing on a big stage like the Olympics is huge for me personally and also for my teammates.
Kanu believes the current squad has the quality and unity required to make a successful qualification push.
We have a goal not just to make it to the Olympics, but also to achieve something there. I think we have a good team.
One More Step to Take
Despite holding a first-leg advantage, Kanu made it clear that the Super Falcons are not approaching the game with complacency.
Instead, the team wants to finish the job in convincing fashion.
We move on to the game tomorrow. We want to win. We want to win well. We want to score, and we’re looking forward to that.
Eguavoen ended the press conference by promising that the team would remain true to its style while showing respect to the opposition.
The coach believes the Super Falcons possess the quality, physicality and mentality required to produce another strong performance.
We respect our opponents, no doubt about that, but we will play our game and make sure we put smiles on the faces of Nigerians.
With a place in the next round within touching distance, the Super Falcons will be aiming to build on their first-leg success and continue their march towards qualification for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.