Paris 2024: Falcons need maximum concentration against South Africa – Gaiya

Nigeria’s Super Falcons have been advised not to lose concentration as they go into ‘the final battle’ second leg qualifier of women football competition of the Paris Olympics coming up later in the year.

A former chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Sports, Honourable Godfrey Ali Gaiya, in an exclusive chat with Sporting Tribune in Abuja on Sunday, said the Falcons have the team and the players to tackle the Bayana Bayana in Pretoria in a game that will decide one of the two African representatives at the women football competition of the Olympics.

According to the former federal lawmaker, the nine-time African champions should be commended for picking a win irrespective of the margin against the South Africans in Abuja last Friday. He said South Africa has invested a lot in its football and as such reaping the benefits and can stand shoulders to shoulders to Nigeria whose standard of the round leather game has not witnessed much growth.

Gaiya said all the Falcons needed is to play attacking football against Bayana Bayana and not to go defensive for whatever reasons.

“You know any match between Nigeria and South Africa whether it is the male or the female gender is always difficult. South African football has been improving over the years. Their local league, their domestic football has developed to the international standard while ours have not developed that much.

“So South Africa has it all takes to give Nigeria a good fight anytime any day. For me, securing a one-goal victory in Abuja is a big deal because football nowadays has developed to a level where any goal margin should be respected. The most important thing is that they (Falcons) got a one-goal victory. So it means for us to be ousted, South Africa must score two goals and we don’t reply one and I don’t see that happening.

“To concede two goals by the Super Falcons will be not be easy. They have the team, they have the players and playing outside Nigeria will relieve them of pressure. They play well and better when they play outside the country and the pressure is much when they play at home. The environment (South Africa) is even alien to most of them and they will play under less or no pressure at all.

“I just want to tell the coaches to make sure the girls do not lose concentration. They (Falcons) are going to get the victory. The game plan should be that we are not going to defend one-goal margin. We are going there to attack for 90 minutes and when we keep attacking, the pressure will now be on South Africa to come and look for goals and from there, we can puncture them with one or two goals. I think the most important thing is concentration, concentration, concentration. For 90 minutes the coaches must ensure that the girls never lose focus and concentration for the entire duration of the game. With that I’m sure we can fly past the South Africans,” Gaiya told Sporting Tribune.

Super Falcons last appearance at the Olympic Games was at Beijing 2008. They have missed out at London 2012, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo 2020. Will the jinx be broken in Pretoria on Tuesday?