Super Falcons defender, Glory Ogbonna, said the team had been given all the needed motivation to win a record 10th Women Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) trophy in Morocco.
Ogbonna, who plies her trade in Spain with Santa Teresa CD Feminino, stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) from the team’s camp on Sunday in Morocco.
She said the team had trained hard and was also mentally ready for the tournament which got underway on Saturday.
Nigeria is in Group C alongside title rivals, South Africa and debutants, Botswana and Burundi.
“Our first match is on Monday against South Africa; we have been training hard for this competition and finally it is here.
“My expectation in this competition is wide open and of course, we are the champions and I really want us to retain the trophy and most importantly qualify for next year’s World Cup.
“The coaches have done quite a lot and have prepared us to give our best in this competition and come out with good results.
“The trainings have been quite revealing and we have also been given different game models just to come out best in this competition.
“The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) had also done their best, and been a huge motivation for us with their support on and off the field,” she said.
The former Edo Queens player, who said the players were united in their quest for glory, however, said the Falcons would not underrate any team in their group.
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According to her, “No group or country is small, all the countries in this competition are here to win and represent their country well.
“We will not underrate any of them, the only thing we need to do is to go out there and play to instruction, give out our best and make sure we remain the champions that we are.
“All the countries want to be the champion and it takes extra work and I believe we are ready for that. We only need to put in extra work and retain the trophy and qualify for next year’s World Cup,” she said.
The Falcons will open their campaign against Bayana Bayana of South Africa in Rabat on Monday.
The four semi-finalists in the competition will compete at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup to be co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand.
Falcons have won nine out of the 11 editions of the competition in the past.
(NAN)
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