Randy Waldrum wins first game as Super Falcons gaffer

By Oyediji Oluwaseun Babatunde
Sports Writer, kick442.com Nigeria

Super Falcons of Nigeria on Thursday kicked off their campaign at the 2021 Turkish Women’s Cup

with a slim 1-0 win over CSKA Moscow women’s football club in coach Randy Waldrum’s first game.

Randy Waldrum handed Sevilla’s Toni Payne with her debut.

Super Falcons team list vs CSKA Moscow
(Credit: @thenff, Twitter)

Nigeria’s captain, Asisat Oshoala missed a chance in the ninth minute as she was muscled away from the ball by Bratko Ekaterina.

Six minutes later, Super Falcons got their first corner kick which was taken by Francesca Ordegah but easily cleared away.

Chinwendu Ihezuo fired home for Nigeria in the 18th minute when she tapped in a cross by Ordegah from the right.

Oshoala was booked in the 15th minute as the resultant free-kick almost resulted in a goal but was cleared away by the goalkeeper, Tochukwu Oluehi.

Madrid CFF’s Chidinma Okeke shielded two CSKA Moscow defenders before clearing the ball from Nigeria’s area in the 30th minute.

In the 36th minute, Ogbonna Glory surges from the left flank floated the ball to the goal area without connecting to any falcon player.

Super Falcons starting line up vs CSKA Moscow

An infringement on Rita Chikwelu a minute to half time saw a quick free-kick by Nigeria but Toni Payne’s shot at goal went wide.

A chance for Asisat in the 55th minute saw her lobbed the ball wide, a better option to lay the ball for Payne was not utilised.

Patricia George also made her debut for Nigeria replacing Eskilstuna United’s Halima Ayinde.

CSKA Moscow tried to equalise but the Falcons held on for their first win under Randy Waldrum era.

Chinwendu Ihezuo netted the only goal of the match at the Emir Sports Complex as the Super Falcons showed real gusto and enthusiasm in their first match of any kind since being eliminated in the race for a ticket to the Tokyo Olympics 16 months ago.

Petite forward Francisca Ordega was outstanding in a game the nine-time African champions dominated play and created a hatful of chances.

It was a first call for new Head Coach, Randy Waldrum who signed his working agreement with the Nigeria Football Federation 24 hours before the encounter.

Nigeria capped Germany –based midfielder Patricia George and Spain-based Antoniette Payne, also a midfielder, in a match that Waldrum expressed his pleasure with the overall performance of his charges.

“I am pleased with the performance considering that the team has not been together for over a year. We did quite well in the first half and for me, it was great getting a result in this first camp and outing with the team. We somewhat lost our way a few times in the second half, but on the balance, we did well and can only get better.”

The Super Falcons now countenance potentially tougher duels against the Women’s National Team of Uzbekistan and Equatorial Guinea, with the Uzbeks in line for Saturday morning while the Nzalang National (two-time African champions) lie in wait on Tuesday morning.

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