Falode tells Falcons to disregard pressure 

By Esther Egbe

Newly appointed Chairman of the Nigeria Women Football League, Aisha Falode has visited the camp of the Super Falcons in Yaounde ahead of Saturday’s 10th Women Africa Cup of Nations final.

Falode  told National Daily that the girls they have the capacity to wrestle their Cameroonian opponents to the ground at the final hurdle for the second successive edition of the competition.

“I know that you have started feeling the atmosphere since you got to Yaoundé. By the time you will get to the stadium, you will start feeling it but you should not allow the atmosphere drive you. Let it add pressure to them and it should spur you to go on. There’s nothing great as defeating people in their own home, in front of their home crowd.”

Falode told the Falcons to think of Nigeria when they face Cameroon in the final rather than the host team. “Play your own game. Don’t be under any pressure. Give it your all. See Nigeria when you play, see the jersey that you are wearing when you play, see the passion of the people at home when you play and the millions of fans rooting for you back home.”

She warned the Cup holders to completely disregard the record books and instead, fight with all their heart and might, reiterating that it is vital not to allow the expected capacity crowd to distort their game –plan.

Aisha concluded that “Record means nothing; it is the record of now that means something. That is the record that I want you to push for. That you are the defending champions and that you are worthy of that name. When you get to the stadium, don’t see the crowd, see yourselves and see Nigeria as you play, and by the grace of God, you will carry the day.