Waldrum doubts Oshoala for second leg in South Africa

Waldrum doubts Oshoala for second leg in South Africa

Super Falcons star striker, Asisat Oshoala is a major doubt for the second leg of the Paris 2024 Olympics qualifier against the Banyana Banyana in South Africa on Tuesday, reports www.sportsunlimited.ng.

Team coach, Randy Waldrum, while giving reason for not using Oshoala in the first leg in Abuja on Friday, hinted the Africa Women Footballer of the Year, Oshoala, may not even feature on Tuesday.

The American gaffer insists he remains uncertain whether the former Liverpool and Arsenal ace will even feature in the return leg.

“We’ll like to sit down and watch the videos to see what we want to come up with for the second match,” Waldrum said, according to Soccernet.ng.

“I could not tell you tonight if she (Oshoala) will play or she won’t. She just arrived in camp, so obviously, physically, from the travels she had, I didn’t feel she was prepared to play for us tonight.”

Nigeria’s slim win over South Africa in Abuja was the Super Falcons’ first victory over the Banyana Banyana in their last three meetings.

The South Africans are the reigning continental champions, but Waldrum maintains that his squad is the best team in Africa.

There is a second leg to play in Pretoria on Tuesday, with the Super Falcons coming under criticism for not recording a win of a bigger margin against the Banyana Banyana.

Waldrum is not worried about the scoreline, though, insisting the return fixture gives the Super Falcons a chance to show who the best team in Africa is.

“As for what I feel about the next leg, there is no difference if we would have won by two (goals) instead of one,” the Pittsburgh Panthers coach said.

“I still feel like we have to go and get a result there.

“We don’t want to go and sit back and try to defend and hold on to this victory.

“I think we still want to show that we are the best team in Africa and we are the better team. I thought we showed that tonight, and we’ll show it again next week.”

Nigeria and South Africa were absent from the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, but the Super Falcons only need to avoid defeat on Tuesday to secure their place at Paris 2024.