Waldrum addresses Plumptre, Ayinde absence as Falcons face Canada

By Daily Sports Nigeria on July 17, 2024

Super Falcons head coach Randy Waldrum agrees injured Ashleigh Plumptre and Halimatu Ayinde will be sore misses for the team at the Olympics, describing them as top-quality players, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

The American tactician bared his mind on the sad development ahead of today’s international friendly against Olympic champions Canada, starting at 6.30 p.m. Spain time (5.30 p.m. Nigeria time) at the La Quinta Football Centre, Malaga, Spain.

He gave the assurance that there are other players ready to fill the voids, appreciating the camping exercise, and several quality players coming through the ranks and anxious to make a mark at the Olympics.

He said, “The players are excited; they have been sharp and full of confidence. I like what I am seeing at this camp. It has been productive for us. The players are full of confidence coming out of the World Cup; they know they can face the best teams in the world, and that is the biggest improvement I have seen from that time until this time.

“The good thing about having a national team is having experienced players and the young ones coming up to replace them when ready. Right now, we have a good blend of experienced players and young ones, and I think they are going to have a great future with the team

“When you lose Ashleigh Plumptre and Halimatu Ayinde, they are two world-class players tough for anything to lose, especially two of them. But then the thing we preach to our players all along is that somebody else has to step up and replace them, and I think we saw that with Chidinma Okeke coming in at left-back for Plumptre when she was out against Cameroon and South Africa.

“I think right now it’s a good thing we have some depth in midfield, players Deborah Abiodun and Toni Payne. It’s still a solid midfield. We have other players; Echegini can play in there, and Ajibade can play in there. So, even though we lose some players, we have some depth in there. It certainly has to happen; I feel bad for them for not going to the Olympics.

“Against Canada, we will go into the match with the aim of giving a good performance, irrespective of the results. We are also aware that some players are coming back from injury, so we will give some players the opportunity to see what they can do at the Olympics. Canada are Olympic champions, so we expect a tough match, and the girls are ready.

“We are in a tough group at the Olympics. We have Brazil, Japan, and world-champion Spain. It’s a very difficult group, but our girls will be ready to compete.”

Nigeria and Canada were involved in a hard-fought FIFA Women’s World Cup Group B opener at the Melbourne Rectangular Stadium on July 21, 2023, with the game ending 0-0. Nigeria’s goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie saved a penalty kick by veteran Christine Sinclair and made 14 other big saves in the afternoon encounter.

Source Punch Ng

Posted July 17, 2024


 

You may also like...
Guardiola sticking to his guns

Eagles under pressure to win AFCON – Amuneke...

NFF apologises for CHAN misadventure, shifts focus to...

Flick Backs Lewandowski To Break Scoring Record

Nigerian Football without Oyewole, Ukaigwe Huge Loss!!!

Iwobi scores as Arsenal sink Palace

 

Latest News Fasuba: From athletics to football coaching, cyber security Arsenal make Osimhen summer priority Akwa Ibom ready to host NDSF – Gov Eno Adesanya got slower – MMA analyst Eaglesite Football Academy targets grassroots development Toni weighs in on Juve’s Osimhen plot Usman offers advice to Adesanya after Saudi loss Edo sports commission rules out athletes’ poaching CAF snubs Eaglets in final U-17 AFCON slots Stop Embarrassing Us, South East PDP Tells Anyanwu ‘Presidency, APC Leaders Have Resolved That It Will Be Disgraceful To Allow El-Rufai Leave Party Without Embrassing Him’ When I Was Senator, They Called Me Dancing Senator, That All I Would Be Doing Is Dancing – Adeleke

 

Most Read Rangers International going, going . . . (55,283 views) Amaju Pinnick: A cat with nine lives (46,434 views) Second Term: Amaju Pinnick, Other NFF Heavyweights Home to Roost •How Pinnick Broke the Jinx (44,464 views) Missing $150,000 IAAF Grant: Solomon Dalung’s Hide and Seek game (44,107 views) Sports Development: Zenith Bank on the zenith (44,062 views) Current issues in Nigerian sports: Matters arising (44,052 views) Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje’s solid footprints, commitment to sports development in Kano State (43,858 views) NFF Presidency: Pinnick, Maigari, Ogunjobi, Okoye in Battle for Supremacy (43,420 views) Olopade, BET9A wave of revolution in NNL (42,510 views) Commonwealth Games 2018: Shame of Muhammadu Buhari, Solomon Dalung (41,162 views) Ibrahimovic’s Man U exit: Whose decision is it? And in whose interest? (39,601 views) John Mikel Obi: Segun Odegbami’s Outrageous Call! (39,033 views)

 

Phone numbers

Tel: +234(0)8066020976
+234(0)8055068145
+234(0)7013416146
+234(0)8094272884

Email addresses

info@dailysportsng.com
support@dailysportsng.com
publisher@dailysportsng.com

Office address

No 3, Adetoun Close, Off College Road, Ogba, Ikeja Lagos.
Website: www.dailysportsng.com

Social Media