Onumonu Talks Tough!
The fact that the big Super Falcons guns are in town for this encounter speaks volumes. Even the NFF had to bury their hatchet with Waldrum to bring him back for this mouthwatering encounter against Cameroon.
Slay Cameroon and be within touching distance of the Olympics this Summer with only one round of qualifiers to navigate.
Something tells me that the Super Falcons or more specifically this Waldrum tutored Super Falcons are itching to pull out all the stops to make up for last year's World Cup disappointment where they were whiskers away from a historic quarter final place.
They captured the world's imagination and were able to carry the country along at the World Cup and they hope to do the same again as the Olympics should they qualify.
Ifeoma Onumonu is already bullish.
*I think we are going to beat this Cameroon team both away and in our home, no disrespect to them though,” she boasted.
But are these empty boasts?
I don't think so. The team appears to retains the same hunger that saw them cut through Australia last year whilst curtailing the ambitions of Canada and Ireland in the mundial.
They could also have sent mighty England packing but for penalties proving to be their only stumbling block.
So, one has to take Onumonu's boast with far more than with a punch of salt.
But the Lionesses of Cameroon will not be easy preys, oh no, they too are a formidable force in African women's football. That said, they have wobbled of late losing to Uganda and Kenya in disappointing fashion.
But our Super Falcons have been rampant post-world cup, putting 12 goals past 2 opponents (Ethiopia and Cape Verde) in 4 matches whilst only conceding 2 to qualify for Wafcon, to reach this stage of Olympic qualifiers, and to continue putting fear in the hearts of opponents.
There has been no letting up in intensity or ruthlessness from the Super Falcons post-World Cup.
Yet, Cameroon are wounded Lionesses. They missed out of last year's World Cup narrowly from the hands of Nigeria hence they are out for blood.
However, if Onumonu and her colleagues bring their A game to the fore, there indeed will be shedding of blood, not Nigerian blood though!