By Monsurah Olatunji

Head coach of the Nigeria women’s national team, Randy Waldrum is confident of his team as they prepare to face South Africa’s Banyana Banyana in the first leg of the final round qualifier for the 2024 Olympic Games.
The Falcons have missed three consecutive Olympic Games — London 2012, Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 — since their last appearance in Beijing 2008. Both teams head into this tie with a winning streak of five games respectively.
However, both teams face setbacks with key players unavailable due to various reasons. Despite this, Waldrum remains optimistic, highlighting the depth of his team and their preparedness for the challenge ahead.
“This team is a generational team, no disrespect to the other teams, the talent and the depth that is coming into the team, which we saw in Australia (FIFA Women’s World Cup) against some of the best teams around the world,” Waldrum told NFF TV.
“We can continue to move on and be a major player on the world stage. South Africa are a very good side, they are defending African champions and we have to respect them.
“This team is special and we have the ability to be one of the best teams in the world.”
The stage is set for an intense first-leg clash at the Moshood Abiola Stadium in Abuja, with the return fixture scheduled at the Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria.
The winner over two legs will pick one of the two available tickets for Africa.