Nigeria’s female youth national team, Falconets’ attacker, Folashade Ijamilusi has revealed that the squad’s 2-2 draw with Cameroon in their second match of the Africa Games in Morocco taught all the players a huge lesson about that helped them get a 3-0 win against Algeria in the semi-finals on Monday.
Two goals by Cynthia Aku in the 16th and 26th minutes as well as one by Zainab Olapade on the dot of 90, gave the Falconets victory, and Ijamilusi hinted that it was because they learnt how to contain a highly ambitious side from the tight battle they had with Cameroon, megasportsarena.com reports.
She added that the Falconets were at that point determined more than ever to reach their first final since Algiers 2007, as the draw with Cameroon meant they had to give everything against Algeria, to ensure they got the required victory.
Ijamilusi, who played a part in the Falconets’ two group stage games, the first of which they won 3-0 against South Africa, added that the two-time African Games gold medalists were fully focused on ensuring that they book their passage to the final.
She admitted that Algeria had the climate and familiarity with the fans to their advantage, but stressed that lessons learnt from the tough draw with Cameroon was what the Nigerian lasses took into the last-four fixture at Boubker Aamar Stadium on Monday.
Nigeria were pitted against Algeria after finishing top of Group B with seven points, while the North Africans ended as runners-up in Group A with six points, but the FC Robo Queens of Lagos forward said they knew what to expect in Rabat, as coach of the side, Christopher Danjuma gave the lasses key tips on how to overcome the Algerians, which helped them pick the win.
Ijamilusi told Goal: “We’ve learned a few lessons from the draw with Cameroon and hoping to avoid mistakes. Our coach has given us the necessary plan to achieve a win and will hope to do our best not to let him down.
“It’s our responsibility to execute the game plan very well. We have a solid team and everyone is determined to make Nigerians proud.”
