National Teams
Randy Waldrum proud of players’ performance after nervy win over Cameroon
By Oyediji Oluwaseun Babatunde
Head coach of Nigeria’s senior women’s national team, Randy Waldrum is proud of his players’s performance against Cameroon in the return leg of Paris 2024 Olympic Qualifiers in Abuja on Monday.
Nigeria reached the final round of the African qualifying series for this year’s Women’s Olympic Football Tournament after Esther Okoronkwo’s 15th minute goal at the MKO Abiola National Stadium, Abuja separated Nigeria and Cameroon in a turgid 180-minute battle over two legs.
A happy Waldrum expressed his joy after the 1-0 win.
“I am excited. I couldn’t be more excited for the players and the country as well,” Waldrum told journalists after the match.
“It was a great effort today despite some injuries. We had to make some changes. The players that came in did a great job. That’s what you want. You want your players to come off the side.
“I thought Deborah was fantastic in the midfield with the physicality of the team. We could go through them easily.”
Cameroon came very close from a corner kick when Menene Meyong got her head to the ball, but goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie stopped its progress to the far corner.
On the hour mark, Cameroon thought they had equalized when Marie Ngah Manga got her head to a cross by the energetic substitute Marie Enganemben, but Nnadozie stretched full length to parry the ball out of danger.
“We struggled a little bit but in this kind of performance in a one off knockout match, you just have to work hard to get the result and do what you need to do to get the result. I’m m extremely proud of the team.” He continued.
“I was trying to tell the players to come down and manage the game especially the final minutes. Michelle Alozie was really struggling late physically and needed off. My mind was worried and nervous about the match and was focused on the tactics and what we needed to do in those final minutes.
“Thee are a lot of factors. Tactically they needed a goal so they are going to be more direct throughout the game. That was part of the game. They played long balls which made the game a bit nervy. There are lots of factors. I think we have to be smart about how we take care of players in between matches.”
Victory for the Super Falcons sets up a mouth-watering final round fixture between nine-time champions of Africa and reigning African champions South Africa, which will be disputed in April.
South Africa have won the last two encounter between both sides being a 4-2 win at the 2021 Aisha Buhari Cup and a 2-1 win over Nigeria in the group stage of 2022 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco.
