Super Falcons interim coach, Christopher Danjuma, has apologised to Nigerians for failing to qualify the women senior national team for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo after playing a 1-1 draw against Ivory Coast at the Agege stadium on Monday in Lagos.
The first leg ended goalless in Abidjan with the Falcons needing a win to qualify but it was the visitors who took the lead in the 12th minute through Nina Kapho’s well-taken free-kick, which beat goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie.
The Falcons pressed for the equaliser and after a series of missed chances, got back on level terms in the 34th minute through captain, Asisat Oshoala, but the Ivoirians qualified based on the away goal rule.
Reacting to the game, Danjuma apologised for the result but insisted that the team needed to shake off the disappointment.
“The first thing is to apologise to Nigerians for failing to qualify for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, everyone came out to do their best, but this is a game of football. Sometimes you expect the best result so that you can make the nation happy but it was not meant to be, not because we didn’t give our best.
“Now we have to look forward, there are other qualifiers to be played and I know the girls will brace up and then you will see better and more direct playing Falcons,” he told WE4WE REPORTS.
Nigeria last qualified for the women’s football event of the Olympics in 2008.