Nigeria’s women national team, Super Falcons’ coach, Randy Waldrum has praised the high level of ‘professionalism’ displayed by his players in Wednesday’s match against United States of America, megasportsarena.com reports.
Although the Falcons lost the game 2-0, to end their campaign at the 2021 WNT Summer Serie Invitational Tournament with two defeats and a draw, the American tactician said he was impressed by his players’ performances.
The tactician, who was back at his former base in Austin, Texas, USA, where he previously handled Austin FC and Houston Dash FC, said the fighting spirit his players displayed against the current FIFA Women’s World Cup champions was commendable.
Waldrum spoke in glowing terms about the Felons’ players, after the African champions put up a gritty performance against the four–time world champions and four–time Olympic Games gold medalists in the last game of the 2021 Summer Series at the brand new Q2 Stadium in Austin, Texas, USA.
Time difference meant the game started 2am Thursday in Nigeria, where fans stayed awake to see another gallant effort from the Falcons, who lost their opening game of the Series to Jamaica by a lone goal on June 10th and had to come from behind twice to muscle a 3-3 draw against Portugal in the second match three days later.
Both games took place in Houston, Texas, while nearby Austin hosted the third, and the Falcons were up against a US team that had not lost in dozens of matches and could not readily remember the last time they conceded a goal.
Waldrum made only one change from his team’s second game of he tournament, being a come-from-behind and late 3-3 draw with Portugal on Sunday, as Esther Okoronkwo took the place of new discovery, Ifeoma Onomonwu.
Christian Press scored the Americans’ first goal in time added-on in first half with an assist from Carli Loyd. The goal came after several brilliant saves by Falcons’ goalkeeper, Tochukwu Oluehi, who was kept very busy in the opening half.
In the second half, Waldrum introduced Akudo Ogbonna, Charity Adule and Gift Monday at different times to rejuvenate the play of the nine-time African champions, but this effort did not curtail the high-octane stance of the American girls, whose heavy pressure eventually told as Lynn Williams got the second goal, with an assist from Press.
It was the first –ever international friendly between both countries and USA had only ever played one African country in a non-competitive game, when they battled South Africa’s Banyana Banyana, and Waldrum is picking several positives from the fixture.
Waldrum, who led the Falcons to three wins out of three in his first tournament in charge with the team at the Turkey Cup in February, submitted that the Summer Series was useful in the discovery of new legs in the absence of a number of tested internationals, and exposure to top quality opposition that the tem could confront in major championships.
He posited: “I am enamoured by the professionalism of the players and their courage even when they are on the backfoot. They played very competitively against the best team in the world and I am extremely proud of them.
“The Summer Series have come at a good time for us, as we were able to see a number of new players. The girls also came up against strong teams and did not fare badly. Lessons have been learnt and I am delighted with our performance and general attitude on and off the pitch.”
