Senegal vs Nigeria Super Falcons (0:3): Brief Reflection

Senegal vs Nigeria (0:3): Brief Reflection

One thing is undeniable when you see the Super Falcons play under the tutelage of Justine Madugu: the girls just wanna have fun (like Cindi Lauper would sing)! And I got that feel yesterday with the breezy style they went about their business of dismantling Senegal 3:0.

Now, the worry is whether this sort of attitude will win high-stakes matches against high-stakes opposition – well, it won them the last Wafcon, and the Wafcon is what they are preparing for, not the World Cup. One thing that stands out to me is Madugu’s player arrangements. The Adamawa state native was heavily criticised – in the last Wafcon – for playing Ajibade as an attacking midfielder and underutilising Toni Payne in his signature 4-3-3 formation.

Now, he has returned Ajibade to the right wing and restored Payne to her storied attacking midfield position and, boy, these ladies are loving it! Ajibade just glides along the flank effortlessly, effortlessly delivering crosses that led to a goal yesterday and many tantalising opportunities across the last 2 matches. Her combination with Oladipo’s overlapping runs down the right wing is always a thing of beauty and precision as Oladipo dials it up to 11 with glorious runs, heavenly deliveries and exceptional movement.

Then you have Payne playing like a teenager after receiving a first kiss! It’s as if she was never gone, toying with the opposition like a kid in a candy store in that attacking midfield role. She owns that portion of the pitch and will never give it up, never yield territory, never cease to terrorize. In that part of the pitch, Payne, Ajibade and Oladipo formed the aqueduct of fluid passes that gushed gloriously into Senegal's 18-yard box to form a tsunami of problems.

I felt the older members of the team were utilised well by introducing them later on to steady the ship after the iceberg of goals had submerged the morale of Senegal. Okobi showed that she still had cunning crosses in her arsenal whilst Ordega (who has clearly looked after herself) looked fit and sharp despite her advancing age. Oshoala remains a cultural icon and a phenomenon, and one who could still create problems for the opposition and score goals if given too much time, space and reverence.

I still can’t get past how the entire team were buzzing like butterflies. After how appallingly abject and disgracefully inadequate the Nigeria Football Federation had treated this legendary institution called the Super Falcons, you would think morale would be low. But no, oh no, the ladies played with no care in the world, enjoying themselves, not taking themselves too seriously as they weaved their movements gloriously into the fabric of Madugu’s formation in a manner that enthralled and delighted in equal measure.

Babajide looked at home at left wing, Imuran got into the swing of things in left back, Ucheibe seems delighted to be back in defensive midfield (celebrating with a bicycle kick later on). Omewa and Monday were keen to make a statement that they belong to the starting 11 with their sledge hammer physicality that battered opposition defenders to submission; the rest of the players played with vim, vigour and vitality; it was great!

By now, you should have had the inkling that I enjoyed the match dearly, or you are not as astute as you think you are. Put simply, the ladies look like they are enjoying themselves and, despite the shoddy preparations, they appear to be throwing down the gauntlet to all other teams on the continent naïve enough to think the Super Falcons will be dethroned this year without fighting to the last woman!

I am not that naïve, are you?