Falcons know Olympics foes well, says Ajibade

Super Falcons captain Rasheedat Ajibade says the team are banking on available information from some members of the squad about their opponents in the women’s football event of the Paris 2024 Olympics, The Punch reports.

The Women’s Football Tournament will kick off on Thursday, a day before the opening ceremony of the Games running until August 11.

On their return to the event since 2008, Nigeria are drawn in Group C alongside world champions Spain, Brazil, and Asian powerhouse Japan.

“Playing in professional leagues, most of these players are from other countries; we have them as teammates at club level,” Ajibade told 54footballx.

She added, “It’s not so much of a big deal, although they are great teams. Every opportunity that I have to come to play, I will give my best. I know these players, the ones we know. I can come up with my little idea and tell the team this is how this particular player plays and some information to deal with some players that I know very well, for example, those in Spain and some Brazilians.

“A couple of our teammates also have these players in their club sides, and I think we all have a bit of experience that we could gather to help the team succeed in the Olympics.”

Ajibade and her teammates will begin their Paris Olympics campaign on Thursday against Brazil in Bordeaux before coming up against Spain on Sunday and taking on Japan for their last group game next Wednesday.

The team rounded off their training camp in Germany last week and arrived in Bordeaux to put the finishing touches to their preparations.

The nine-time African champions last featured at the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament in Beijing in 2008, where they lost all three group matches, 1-0 to Korea DPR, 1-0 to Germany, and 3-1 to eventual silver medalists Brazil.

The Falcons’ best outing at the Games was in the 2004 edition in Athens, where they reached the quarterfinals.