Super Falcons forward Asisat Oshoala praised her teammates' resilience after Nigeria's hard-fought 1-0 victory over Zambia, saying the team had to work twice as hard after being reduced to 10 players.
The former Barcelona forward scored the game's only goal in the first half, racing onto a well-weighted through ball from captain Rasheedat Ajibade before calmly finishing past the goalkeeper.
The Super Falcons displayed great resilience and character to hold on for victory after defender Oluwatosin Demehin was sent off in the first half.
Speaking after the match, Oshoala admitted the players knew they had to make greater sacrifices following Demehin's dismissal, with everyone stepping up to help the team secure all three points.
“I think when you're playing different things can happen. We got a red card and we knew we had to sacrifice more,” Oshoala said via Victor Ademola TV.
Oshoala added that despite being reduced to 10 players, the team remained determined to score more goals instead of merely protecting their one-goal advantage.
“We had to do more, we had to do double jobs in each position. We never thought about going down. We were thinking of trying to get more goals,” she added.
Meanwhile, goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie also urged Nigerians to continue supporting the team, expressing confidence that the ten-time African champions would make the country proud at the tournament.
“I just want Nigerians to be calm, ten times champions, we are going to make you proud. All we need from you is just your prayers and support,” Nnadozie said.
Looking ahead to the final Group C clash, Nnadozie described Egypt as a difficult opponent and insisted Nigeria would approach the game with the same determination.
“The next game won't be easy, we will deploy the same approach. The group is still open, we don't know what Zambia and Malawi would do. We need to defeat Egypt but it won't be an easy game,” she concluded.
The Super Falcons are currently third in Group C with three points, behind Malawi and Zambia. Justin Madugu's side must beat Egypt in their final group match to boost their chances of securing a place in the knockout stage.
Adeyemi Adewale
Discussions (0)