CAFWOQ: Rasheedat Ajibade openes up on Paris 2024 Olympic motivation

Nigeria captain Rasheedat Ajibade has revealed that the team is motivated to qualify for the women’s football event of Paris 2024 because most of them have not played at the Olympics before.

The Super Falcons will face South Africa in the final round of the Paris 2024 Olympics qualifiers with the first leg billed for the Moshood Abiola Stadium on Friday, and the return leg in Pretoria at the Loftus Versfeld Stadium on April 9.

Nigeria have missed three consecutive Olympic Games — London 2012, Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 — since their last appearance in Beijing 2008.

However, Ajibade remain optimistic about her teammates’ motivation to get the job done

“Most of us are yet to play in the Olympics and it is a big issue with us. We want to be there in Paris,” the Atletico Madrid star told NFF media.

“From the time we played Ethiopia, we have been committed to seeing these qualification series through. Our objective has always been to win a slot in the Olympics.

“There are a couple of issues the Super Falcons have to sort out with Banyana Banyana, really. However, that is not the motivation this time. The motivation is qualifying for the Olympics.”

The winner of the two-legged tie between Nigeria and South Africa will earn one of Africa’s two tickets to the women’s football event at the Paris Olympics.