In the first leg of the qualifications for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, Nigeria’s Super Falcons defeated South Africa 1-0.
South Africa got off to a poor start, which gave the home team more opportunities to control the first half of the match.
Defender Noko Matlou fouled inside the box in the 43rd minute, giving the host team a penalty that the Falcons successfully executed.
And Rasheetdat Ajibade made no mistakes as he put the Super Falcons ahead with a spot kick in the 43rd minute.
Banyana Banyana manager Desiree Ellis told reporters following the game that his squad might reverse the outcome at home.
“We are still in the game”- Ellis.
“Look we said it was going to be a tight game, but we are hopeful of over turning this result in the second Leg,” she said.
The 2022 WAFCON winning coach, Ellis is confident that her team is still in contention and will fight till the end.
“We are still in the game. We created a couple of chances, a penalty decided the match, but the game is not over. I thought in the second half we raised our game a lot and created chances and could have equalized.
“Maybe we could also have gotten a penalty at the end when Jermaine was fouled, but I’m very proud of the team,”
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The African Champions must win the second leg in Pretoria, South Africa on April 9, 2024, with two goals in in order to qualify for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.