Evumena tasks Falcons
by Humphrey Njoku 10 November 2012, 18:27
Delta Queens' manager, Dan Evumena has charged the Super Falcons to redeem their stained pride against the Indomitable Lionesses of Cameroon.
Both sides will fight for bronze in Sunday's losers' game in Malabo at the ongoing 8th African Women's Championship in Equatorial Guinea.
The Nigerians had their title hope rudely snapped by rivals, Banyana Banyana of South Africa in the semifinals while the Central African foes suffered same fate in the hands of the hosts, Equatorial Guinea.
Evumena said the beaten title holders must be at their best to subdue a difficult Cameroonian opposition.
"The third place match is a more difficult game, the Falcons struggled and lost the battle to be in the final, now they're psychologically down but the spark must come alive against the Cameroonians.
"The losers' game is winners take all, if you lose you're out of the bronze medal.
"The AWC title is not our birthright, the Falcons should forget the loss to Banyana, save their faces and go into the game against Cameroon with more determination. At least, they can celebrate the bronze medal.
"The coach must psyche up the players to redeem Nigeria's pride by fielding the best legs in the game.
"Cameroon lost to us in the opening game and will give the match everything to salvage something for themselves. So it won't be an easy game," he said to supersport.com.
The former Falconets' coach said the Falcons paid the prize for over-confidence at the biennial football showpiece.
"There were too much hype, player setting 15-goal target, the NFF upping match bonuses, the team was over confident of retaining the title and they paid dearly for it.
"It's a warning to the women's teams, Perpetua Nkwocha of 2000 can't be same as 2012. It beats my thinking that South Africa scored in the early minutes of the game and we couldn't equalise.
"Nigerians must learn from the defeat, pick the pieces and lay solid structure for the women's game before we're completely left behind," he said.
