Nigeria’s Super Falcons star Rasheedat Ajibade suffers injury blow in Olympic Games qualifiers

Nigeria’s Super Falcons have suffered a major setback after captain Rasheedat Ajibade was stretchered off with injury in their Olympic Games second-leg qualifying encounter against Comoros.

The Paris Saint-Germain midfielder sustained the injury in the 23rd minute of the first half following a collision with a Comoros defender, leaving the Nigerian technical team concerned about her condition.

Ajibade was unable to continue after the incident and had to be carried off the pitch, with Folashade Ijamilusi introduced as her replacement.

The injury represents a worrying development for the Super Falcons, given Ajibade’s importance to the team. The experienced midfielder is a key figure in Nigeria’s setup, providing leadership and quality in attack as the West African giants seek to progress in the Olympic qualification campaign.

At the time of writing, the encounter remained goalless, with Nigeria carrying a 2-0 aggregate advantage from the first leg.

The Super Falcons secured victory in the opening encounter at the Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne, courtesy of goals from Michelle Alozie and Uchenna Kanu, putting them in a strong position ahead of the return fixture.

However, Ajibade’s injury has cast a shadow over Nigeria’s campaign, with the extent of the damage yet to be confirmed. The Super Falcons will be hoping their captain’s injury is not as serious as initially feared as they continue their quest to secure progress in the qualifiers.