Every word Super Falcons coach Waldrum said about playing Japan and expectations at the FIFA World Cup

The American tactician will lead the nationwide group to face the Asian powerhouse in a number of hours

Tremendous Falcons head coach Randy Waldrum has hailed the Japan girls’s nationwide group as top-of-the-line on this planet.

Nigeria will face Japan in a world pleasant on Thursday morning on the Noevir Stadium, Kobe.

What’s Waldrum’s tackle Japan? 

Within the pre-match press convention, American coach Waldrum highlighted the qualities that make the Nadeshiko a troublesome opponent to face.

“I’ve all the time been an enormous admirer of Japan,” Waldrum stated. “We all know they’re a world energy, So we all know what the match goes to carry. It’s a really disciplined and organised group.

“One factor that’s impressed me over the previous couple of years is that they have maintained the standard of the gamers they’ve all the time had of their tactical capability and the ability of the gamers.

“They’ve developed with stronger, bodily gamers as nicely. So, we all know the problem goes to be troublesome. It’s going to be an amazing expertise for us by way of making ready for the World Cup.”

Friendlies are a part of World Cup preparation – Waldrum 

Nigeria certified for the 2023 FIFA World Cup by reaching the semifinal of the 2022 Ladies’s Africa Cup of Nations held in Morocco earlier within the yr.

The Tremendous Falcons have since performed two pleasant matches towards the USA girls’s nationwide group, dropping each encounters.

Regardless of the defeats, Waldrum dealing with harder oppositions can solely carry the perfect out of the nine-time African champions.

Waldrum added: “For us, we play these sorts of video games towards the perfect groups on this planet as a result of we all know that’s what it’s going to be on the World Cup. We simply acquired again from the USA enjoying two matches towards the USA.

“Now, we have now come right here to Japan to play towards one of many world’s greatest as nicely. So we acquired some younger gamers right here with us and I believe it’s a type of issues we have to discover now, the place we’re missing and inefficient.

“Taking part in groups like Japan will expose us to eventualities we have to enhance upon. I all the time consider you don’t get higher in the event you don’t play the perfect competitors.

“So, that’s one of many causes we needed to return right here as a result of we all know the standard of the group right here in Japan.

“That may definitely put together us for the issues we have to work on over the following 12 months.”

What are the Tremendous Falcons’ World Cup expectations?

Nigeria has appeared at each version of the FIFA Ladies’s World Cup because it started in 1991. However the Falcons have by no means made it past the quarterfinal stage.

Waldrum maintains that subsequent yr’s goal is to go so far as potential on the Mundial.

“So far as the World Cup, our expectations are to make it out of our group and make a deep run within the World Cup. We really feel like we have now the expertise to do this, and proper now, we simply want time to collect with the group and to arrange correctly.”

The kick-off time for the Tremendous Falcons and Nadeshiko match is 8:25 am Nigerian time.