Nigerian icon Onome Ebi backs Nigeria in Olympic qualifiers

Despite being left out of the squad, veteran and decorated Nigeria defender, Onome Ebi, is confident the Super Falcons can overcome their Ivorian counterparts in the third round of the Olympic qualifying series in Lagos, Nigeria, on Thursday.

Record nine-time African champions, Nigeria, are seeking a return to the quadrennial event since their last appearance in 2008 in Beijing, which Ebi, then 25-years old featured.

However, they will have to overcome the Ivorian hurdle in a double-header to reach the penultimate round of the qualifiers. The first leg is due for Abidjan on October 3 and the return four days later in Lagos.

Now 36, Ebi who became the first African to play in five Fifa World Cups following her appearances at the 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015 and 2019 editions of the Women’s World Cup hopes to make her second appearance at the Olympics next year.

Undoubtedly, Ebi is one of the most experienced players to have donned the Super Falcons shirt with varied experiences with clubs in Sweden, Turkey and Belarus.

In Belarus, she won the Belarusian Women’s Premier League, the Belarusian Women’s Cup and the Belarusian Women’s Super Cup twice.

“I think the standard of women football in Nigeria is getting better,” she affirmed.

“But we can’t compare such standard with what we have outside the country; I’m looking forward to establishing a foundation to help younger ones to be exposed to better ways of playing the game.”

In partnership with ANA and Sports Leo