The Paris 2024 Olympic Games commence today with football and rugby sevens taking center stage. Nigeria’s Super Falcons, representing women’s football, will kick off their campaign in Group C against Brazil in Bordeaux.
Brazil, a top contender for a medal in women’s football, faces a determined Super Falcons team aiming to make a statement. Nigeria plans to target an early goal to unsettle the Brazilian team and set the stage for subsequent matches against Japan and Spain.
The Super Falcons are seeking a historic victory against Brazil, having lost both previous Olympic encounters. In the 1999 FIFA World Cup quarterfinals, Brazil narrowly defeated Nigeria 4-3 after extra time, and in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Brazil won 3-1 during the group stage.
Recent reports suggest that coach Randy Waldrum’s strategy involves an all-attacking formation to secure early goals and disrupt Brazil’s game plan. Brazilian star Marta, one of the oldest strikers in world football, expressed confidence in her team’s ability to dominate and secure a spot in the knockout rounds.
The Super Falcons aim to secure at least a point to boost their chances against world champions Spain and former world champions Japan in their remaining Group C fixtures. Nigeria’s last Olympic outing in Athens 2004 ended in a 2-1 loss to Germany in the quarterfinals.
Having missed the last three Olympic Games, the Super Falcons are determined to showcase their talent and compete for a medal, drawing on their past Olympic experience and recent performance at the Women’s World Cup.
