Super Falcons Coach Targets Reaching World Cup Knockout Stages
Super Falcons of Nigeria head coach Randy Waldrum remains optimistic of an impressive outing at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup finals, saying the target is to “advance out of the group stage” of the tournament, which is scheduled to hold in Australia & New Zealand from July 20th, 2023.
After the disappointment of failing to make the podium at the 12th Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) tournament staged by Morocco in 2022, the Super Falcons who finished in fourth place, will be looking put up an improved performance at the Women’s World Cup for a chance to claim the trophy.
Waldrum is full of optimism, and is confident that his team can go far in the global tournament, but insists they have to take it one step at a time to achieve greatness.
“The first target for us at the World Cup is to advance out of the group stage,” Super Falcons coach Randy Waldrum said in an interview.
“Everyone wants to get to the knockout stage but obviously in order to achieve that, you have to advance out of the group and now, our focus is principally on doing that.”
The Super Falcons’ fourth place finish at the 2022 WAFCON ensured they secured the last automatic ticket from Africa to qualify for the 2022 FIFA Women’s World Cup finals. They lost to Zambia in the third-place match by 1-0 to finish fourth.
Waldrum would want to quickly wipe out the memory of the 2022 WAFCON tournament with a better and improved performance by the most successful women’s team in Africa, at the forthcoming FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Nigeria will tackle Olympic champions Canada, co-hosts Australia and Republic of Ireland in Group B of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup finals, scheduled to start on July 20th. Australia & New Zealand 2023 is the first time that the FIFA Women’s World Cup will welcome 32 teams – the same number as the men’s tournament.
The Falcons will be domiciled in Brisbane where they will play two of their three matches, with the other game in another Australian city, Melbourne.
Nigeria is in the elite group of only seven countries that have never failed to qualify for the FIFA Women’s World Cup since the competition was launched in China 32 years ago.
NFF/Chidi Nwoke.
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