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Having made history, Nigeria need Olympic miracle against US women

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Nigeria advancing out of the group stage of the Paris Olympics women’s basketball tournament was a surprise. A quarter-final win over the United States on Wednesday would qualify as an Olympic miracle.

D’Tigress have already made history in Paris, becoming the first African team – men’s or women’s – to reach the last eight in Olympic basketball. Bringing an end to the United States’ 58-match winning streak and run of seven consecutive gold medals would be a contender for biggest upset in sporting history.

“You can do hard things,” said Nigerian guard Amy Okonkwo. “You can do anything that you set your mind to. It doesn’t matter where you’re born or where you come from.

“You can do it.”

Nigeria may bring buckets of enthusiasm and belief to the Bercy arena on Wednesday but will need much more to turn the tide on the mighty Americans, who have won all five previous meetings including their most recent, a 100-46 thrashing in an Olympic qualifying event in February.

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Led by Breanna Stewart and A’ja Wilson, who are averaging 20.3 points a game, the U.S. tops the tournament in scoring and rebounds, but its three-point shooting and intensity have been less than spectacular.

Still, the Americans have depth that no other team can come close to matching and experience led by Diana Taurasi, who is chasing a sixth Olympic gold medal.

“We’re not the USA, the dynasty, without it,” said U.S. coach Chery Reeve. “I think it’s what defines the dynasty, the depth of talent that the USA has.”

Nigeria look to Ezinne Kalu, who is averaging 19.3 points per game, for scoring. But the side’s success is built around an aggressive team defence that leads the tournament in steals.

The other quarter-final matchups will see host France taking on Germany, Serbia facing Australia and Spain against Belgium.

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With the action relocating from Lille, where group matches were held, to the big stage in Paris, the French women will be counting on a tubo-charged boost from the home crowd to propel them back onto the Olympic podium after taking bronze in Tokyo.

But Germany have impressed in their Olympic debut and are keen to continue their run at French expense.

Spain finished group play unbeaten, but two of their victories were nail-biting one point decisions over China and Puerto Rico. They now face a Belgium squad led by the Olympic tournament’s leading scorer Emma Meesseman, who is average 26.3 ppg.

Australia looked in danger of an early exit after dropping their group opener to Nigeria, but rebounded with wins over Canada and France and carry that momentum into their clash with Serbia, which is bidding to reach the final four for the third consecutive Games.

-Reuters

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Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

Olympics

Nigeria’s Olympic Foes Arrive After Incredible 30-0 Aggregate Rout of Sudan

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The good news for Comoros: a record-breaking 30-0 aggregate triumph over Sudan has secured passage to the next round of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic qualifiers. The bad news: standing between the Coelacanthes and further progress are Nigeria's Super Falcons, Africa's 10-time champions and perennial continental powerhouse.

Nigeria’s Super Falcons will face a confident and free-scoring Comoros side in the next round of the women’s football qualifiers for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games after the island nation completed a staggering 30-0 aggregate demolition of Sudan.

Comoros sealed their passage to the next stage with a 13-0 victory in the second leg of their first-round tie, having already recorded a commanding win in the opening match. The result saw the Coelacanthes score an extraordinary 30 goals across the two legs without conceding a single goal.

The emphatic triumph has generated excitement around the rapidly improving Comoros women’s national team, but a much sterner examination now awaits against Africa’s most successful women’s football nation.

Nigeria, ten-time African champions and one of the continent’s traditional powerhouses, enter the next round as overwhelming favourites. However, Comoros’ remarkable scoring exploits against Sudan suggest they will arrive with growing confidence and belief.

The Coelacanthes dominated both encounters from start to finish, displaying clinical finishing and defensive solidity that left Sudan with no answer. Their tally of 30 goals over two matches represents an astonishing average of 15 goals per game.

For Nigeria, the fixture will mark the beginning of another quest for Olympic qualification after missing out on the women’s football tournament at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

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The Super Falcons, who recently impressed in their international friendly victories over Senegal in Ikenne, boast vastly greater experience and pedigree than their upcoming opponents. The nine-time Women’s Africa Cup of Nations champions have consistently been among the continent’s strongest teams and remain Africa’s highest-ranked women’s national side.

Comoros coach Youssouf Abdallah has described his team’s performances against Sudan as evidence of the progress being made within the squad, but the encounter with Nigeria will provide a true measure of their development.

While Comoros’ record-breaking victory has captured attention across African football, the challenge of overcoming Nigeria represents a significant leap in quality. The Super Falcons have traditionally dominated lower-ranked African opponents and will be expected to continue their march towards a place at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.

The dates for the second-round qualifiers are expected to be confirmed by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), with the winners advancing further in the race for a place at the Olympic Games in the United States.
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Olympics

Super Falcons Draw Bye, Set to Face South Sudan or Comoros in LA 2028 Olympic Qualifiers

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Super Falcons endured a 16-year gap in between their last two participation at the women's football event of the Olympic Games.

By Kunle Solaja.

Nigeria’s senior women’s national team, the Super Falcons, will begin their campaign for a place at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games from the second round of the African qualifiers after being granted a bye in the opening stage.

The draw, conducted on Wednesday in Cairo by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), placed Nigeria among 29 higher-ranked teams exempted from the first round of the series.

The Super Falcons will take on the winner of the first-round clash between South Sudan and Comoros in their opening fixture of the qualifiers.

A total of 35 nations are competing for just two available slots allocated to Africa for the women’s football tournament at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, underlining the intensity and high stakes of the qualification process.

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The qualifiers will be contested over five knockout rounds on a home-and-away basis, leaving little room for error as teams battle for continental representation on the global stage.

The first round involves the six lowest-ranked teams—Sudan, Mauritius, Djibouti, South Sudan, Madagascar and Comoros—based on the latest FIFA Women’s World Rankings. Winners from this stage will advance to face each other again before the 29 seeded teams, including Nigeria, enter the fray.

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Nigeria will be aiming to consolidate their status among Africa’s elite women’s football nations, having qualified for the most recent Olympic tournament alongside Zambia at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

Although the Super Falcons boast a notable Olympic pedigree, having made their debut at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games and subsequently appearing at Athens 2004, Beijing 2008 and Paris 2024, qualification has not always been easy.

The 16-year gap between their last two participations in Beijing 2008 and Paris 2024 illustrates the tough time they have endured in the qualifying series.

With the women’s football event at Los Angeles 2028 set to feature 16 teams—including hosts the United States—Nigeria’s path to qualification is expected to be demanding.

Attention will now shift to the preliminary encounter between South Sudan and Comoros, as Nigeria’s technical crew intensify preparations ahead of their second-round entry point.

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For the Super Falcons, the mission is clear: successfully navigate a rigorous qualifying campaign and secure a return to the Olympic stage in 2028.

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Nigeria’s Road to Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games Begins with CAF Draw in Cairo

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Nigeria’s senior women’s national team, the Super Falcons, will on Wednesday discover their route to the football event of the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles when the Confederation of African Football conducts the official draw in Cairo.

The draw ceremony, scheduled for April 29 at CAF headquarters in Egypt, will set in motion Africa’s qualifying campaign for the women’s football tournament of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.

A total of 35 countries, including Nigeria, will participate in the race for just two tickets allocated to Africa for the Olympic football event, which will take place from July 11 to 29, 2028.

Alongside Nigeria, other contenders include continental heavyweights such as South Africa, Cameroon, Ghana, Morocco and Zambia, as well as a wide range of emerging nations from across the continent.

The full list of participating teams also features Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Comoros, Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Guinea, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritius, Namibia, Rwanda, Senegal, Seychelles, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda and Zimbabwe.

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According to CAF, the qualification series will be played over five rounds, gradually narrowing the field to the two teams that will fly Africa’s flag at the Olympics in the United States.

For Nigeria, Africa’s most successful women’s national team, the qualifiers present another opportunity to reaffirm their continental dominance and secure a return to the Olympic stage after recent mixed fortunes in global competitions.

The Super Falcons, nine-time African champions, are expected to be among the top seeds when the draw is conducted, a factor that could influence their early-round opponents.

Wednesday’s ceremony in Cairo will therefore provide clarity on the fixtures, timelines and potential hurdles facing Nigeria and other contenders as the road to Los Angeles officially begins.

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