National Teams
Paris 2024: Desire Oparanozie backs Super Falcons to scale tough group hurdle
By Oyediji Oluwaseun Babatunde
Former Nigeria forward Desire Oparanozie is confident that the Super Falcons can qualify from a tough group in the women’s football event of the Paris 2024 Olympics.
The nine-time African champions will face World champions Spain, 2011 World Cup winner Japan, and South American champions Brazil in Group C. It will be the first time that the team will take part in the women’s football event of the Olympics for close to two decades.
Nigeria will face Brazil in the group opener on July 25, Spain is next on July 28 and Japan on July 31 as Oparanozie who hanged his boot after the 2023 World Cup in Australia submitted that the Super Falcons are not in Paris to make up the numbers.
“The girls are excited to be at the Olympics after almost a decade of absence and they are set to give up their best.” Oparanozie said as captured by Mainland Metro News.
“We are practically in a group of death with heavyweights like Spain, Brazil, Japan.
”We are heavyweights in our own right too and so I expect that we can compete and pick a couple of points and get to the next round. The girls know that and they would be willing to get to the next round.”
While Nigerians await for Coach Randy Waldrum to unveil the squad list for the Games, Oparanozie put forward that the team should be fortified to meet up with the expected challenge.
“Every aspect of the team needs to be fortified.
“Honestly speaking our defence is a stronghold but it could do with a little bit of fortifying, the midfield and attack are areas that need to be looked into,” Oparanozie who scored 22 goals in 35 appearances for Nigeria stated.
The Super Falcons have featured in three straight Olympics in 2000 (Sydney, Australia), 2004 (Athens, Greece), and 2008 (Beijing, China) with a quarter-final finish in 2004 in between group stage ousters.
After making it to the Round of 16 at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup from a tough group that has Canada, Australia, and the Republic of Ireland and seeing off African champions South Africa 1-0 on aggregate in the final qualification series, confidence is high for the record African champions ahead of their fourth Olympics appearance.
