As the entire world is grappling with how to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, Super Falcons star player, Onome Ebi, is doubtful about Nigeria’s chances of maintaining her dominance of female football in the continent in the coming years.
Falcons struggled to retain their title in a nail-biting shoot-out victory against South Africa at the last edition of African Women’s Cup of Nations in 2018.
The Nigerian side had dominated the continental event severally but lately failed to qualify for the third consecutive women’s Olympic Games after they were knocked out by Cote d’Ivoire in the final continental qualifying series last year.
In an interview with Brilafm.net yesterday, the FC Henan Huishang defender, who will turn 37 in two weeks, admitted that other countries on the continent have closed the gap and that Falcons need to work extra hard to remain the best in Africa.
“As we all know, no team is unbeatable these days, it’s not like before when we beat countries 7-0 either home or away.
“It’s really difficult to beat team’s 2-0 lately. If we really want to keep our place as the best in Africa, we really have to work for it.
“We have to keep training and playing friendly games to keep that standard.
“Nobody is sleeping, every team is training hard, everybody wants to beat Nigeria and be the best in Africa and if we are not ready, someone else will take the title from us,” she pointed out.
In the last continental tournament in 2018, the Super Falcons made a shock losing start in Ghana with a late lone goal loss to Banyana Banyana of South Africa but bounced back to edge Desiree Ellis’ team 4-3 final via a penalty shoot-out.
The 2018 triumph marked Ebi’s fourth AWCON title in six appearances, with Nigeria and she later became the first African player to play at five editions of the World Cup in France last year.
