Former African Footballer of the Year, Victor Ikpeba, has praised the Super Falcons of Nigeria following their narrow loss to Brazil in their 2024 Summer Olympics opener, as reported by Sportblog247.com.

Ikpeba, a former AS Monaco forward, commended the Nigerian team for their effort, noting that they played with great heart and determination for both their country and the continent.

Randy Waldrum’s squad surprised the Canarinhas, making it difficult for the South Americans in their first Group C match at the Matmut Atlantique Stadium. Despite the loss, the 11-time Women’s Africa Cup of Nations champions had 15 goal attempts, with Gremio goalkeeper Lorena making several remarkable saves to prevent Nigeria from taking the lead.

Ikpeba, quoted by ScoreNigeria, acknowledged the Nigerian side’s efforts and their near misses. “You just must commend the girls; they gave everything, played with heart, determination, and passion,” said Ikpeba. “They had their moments in the first half, but unfortunately, they didn’t capitalize on them. They probably lacked the quality in attack, but they have everything to be proud of.”

The former Super Eagles player, capped 31 times, emphasized that the Nigerian men’s senior national team could learn from the Falcons’ valiant effort. “The Super Eagles must learn from how they fight for each other,” he added.

Looking ahead, the Nigerian women’s team faces an even tougher challenge as they take on the current Women’s World Cup champions, Spain, in their upcoming game at the Stade De La Beaujoire. Ikpeba believes that Nigeria’s key to progressing from the group lies in their match against Japan. He expressed confidence in the Falcons’ ability to compete fiercely against Spain and Japan.

“They are a very physical side, and the coach has set them up well. They will certainly make life difficult for the other teams in this group, Spain and Japan,” he predicted. “It may not be entirely a lost cause against Spain in their next game, but I believe the key to qualification will be against Japan. They need to win that game to stay alive.”

A draw against Spain and a victory against Japan could still put Nigeria on course for the next round of qualifications.