Montse Tome, the head coach of Spain’s women’s national team, believes the Super Falcons will be no pushovers when they face her side in their second group game of the Paris 2024 Olympic football tournament on Sunday.
The two teams recorded opposite results on the opening day of the tournament, with Spain coming from behind to beat Japan 2-1 while Nigeria succumbed to a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Brazil.
The Super Falcons were, however, gallant in defeat and ran Brazil very close despite playing in their first game of the Olympics since 2008. Having watched Randy Waldrum’s side go toe-to-toe with one of the world’s best teams, Tome believes the West Africans cannot be underrated.
Speaking ahead of the Super Falcons vs Spain encounter on Sunday, she said her players cannot afford to go into the game with the same game plan after exerting a lot of energy due to pressing very high against Japan.
Super Falcons vs Spain to be physical – Tome
Tome highlighted the physicality of the Nigeria team as something that her side might struggle with and named forward Rasheedat Ajibade and goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie as the players to be wary of.
Ajibade, who plays in Spain, was named Atletico Madrid’s player of the season after scoring 11 goals and providing seven assists, while Nnadozie was also the best goalkeeper in the French league after a brilliant campaign with Paris FC.
“Physically, they are very strong and a team that leans heavily towards the left, with Ajibade (Atletico player), who we know very well. They have a good goalkeeper, with a fairly long throw. Nigeria will present us with more individual duels, so we have to change the plan to beat them,” Tome told AS.
Sunday's match will mark the first meeting of the Super Falcons vs Spain at senior level.
