National Teams
Chinwendu Ihezuo anticipates competitive Olympics campaign in Paris
By Oyediji Oluwaseun Babatunde
As this year’s Olympics in Paris, France approaches, Nigeria’s senior women’s national team forward, Chinwendu Ihezuo, eagerly anticipates a challenging yet rewarding tournament for the Super Falcons.
“We are going to do our best and leave the rest to God,” Ihezuo expressed optimistically.
The nine-time African champions secured their spot in the Olympics after defeating Cameroon and African champions South Africa 1-0 on aggregate, marking their return to the women’s football event for the first time since 2008 (Beijing, China).
Reflecting on Nigeria’s performance at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, where they faced Olympic champions Canada, World Cup co-host Australia, Republic of Ireland, and European champions England without defeat in regulation time, Ihezuo is confident that the Super Falcons will rise to the occasion.
“I don’t see it as a difficult group,” she told The Nation Online. “As we are working hard, the Super Falcons are also working.”
Ihezuo, one of the most experienced players in the Super Falcons squad, has played for various clubs across Europe and Asia before joining Pachuca in Mexico.
“Moving to Mexico to play has been a positive experience for me,” she explained. “It has helped me in many ways because when I was in China, I couldn’t find my way down often to play for the Super Falcons.”
“I’m loving it, and having along with me, my teammate Osinachi Ohale, is a very good thing, since she’s a very good soul and also helping me too,” she added.
With her vast experience and exposure, Ihezuo hopes to bring her best performance to the Olympics, having previously represented Nigeria at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, and the 2018 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), where she was part of the winning team under coach Thomas Dennerby.
