Augustine Eguavoen brushes aside Super Falcons injury blow as Comoros Olympic qualifier looms

Super Falcons interim coach Augustine Eguavoen has played down the impact of several notable absences as Nigeria prepare for a crucial 2028 Olympic qualifier against Comoros.

The Super Falcons will be without a number of established players for the second-round tie, but Eguavoen insists the squad still has enough quality and experience to negotiate the challenge.

Nigeria are missing Asisat Oshoala, Oluwatosin Demehin, Flourish Sabastine and Ashleigh Plumptre for the two-legged contest.

The changes have forced Eguavoen to work with an adjusted squad ahead of what promises to be a decisive encounter in the Olympic qualifying campaign.

Despite the withdrawals, the interim coach has backed the players brought into the squad to step up and ensure Nigeria remain on course for qualification.

“It is true that we have a number of withdrawals, notably Asisat Oshoala, Ashley Plumptre and Oluwatosin Demehin,” he told NFF media.

Eguavoen backs replacements to deliver

Rather than dwell on the players who are unavailable, Eguavoen believes their replacements can fill the gaps and provide the Super Falcons with the quality required to overcome Comoros.

The coach pointed to the experience within his current group as a major reason for his confidence, with Nigeria aiming to establish an advantage across the two matches.

“However, I have confidence in their replacements, as these players also have the quality and experience to contribute meaningfully to the team’s success against Comoros.”

The Super Falcons have also completed their preparations in camp, with Eguavoen confirming that the squad is now at full strength in terms of its available personnel.

“Everyone has settled in well in camp as we have a full house now, and our focus is to present a strong and competitive squad for the two matches.”

Both legs moved to Nigeria

The Olympic qualifying tie has taken an unusual turn after both matches were moved to Nigeria.

Comoros were unable to provide a suitable venue for the first leg, resulting in both fixtures being scheduled at the Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne-Remo.

Nigeria will host Comoros on October 9 before the sides meet again at the same venue on October 13.

The arrangement gives the Super Falcons the familiarity of playing both matches on home soil, although they will still need to manage the pressure that comes with being expected to progress.

With Oshoala, Plumptre, Demehin and Sabastine unavailable, Eguavoen will have to rely on the depth of his squad as Nigeria seek to take a significant step towards the next stage of the Olympic qualification process.

For the interim coach, the absences have not altered the objective. Nigeria must produce a strong performance across the two encounters and take advantage of the opportunity presented by having both legs played at home.