Benin Republic ladies’s head coach, Abdoulaye Ouzerou, says his staff arrived in Abeokuta totally satisfied they may defeat Nigeria of their WAFCON qualification second leg, regardless of finally falling in need of development.
Talking after the match — which ended 1–1 on the MKO Abiola Stadium, sealing Nigeria’s qualification with a 3–1 mixture victory — Ouzerou revealed that his gamers went into the sport with a robust perception that they may upset the percentages towards the nine-time African champions.
“We got here right here to win. That was at all times our mindset,” the coach mentioned in a translated assertion. “I advised the gamers earlier than kickoff that Nigeria may be the champions of Africa, however they’re nonetheless human. We are able to compete with anybody if we play with braveness and self-discipline.”
The Benin coach expressed delight in his gamers’ dedication, saying their combating spirit and group on the pitch mirrored the staff’s rising maturity. He notably praised his squad for exhibiting no worry in entrance of a house Nigerian crowd and for responding effectively after falling behind to Ashleigh Plumptre’s first-half strike.
“When Nigeria scored, some groups would have collapsed,” Ouzerou mentioned. “However my gamers refused to surrender. They stayed centered, pressed more durable, and had been rewarded with a objective. That reveals character, and that’s what we’re constructing.”
He admitted, nonetheless, that whereas the outcome was satisfying in efficiency phrases, he would have most well-liked to crown the trouble with a win.
“We’re proud of the draw, however it might have been extra,” he concluded. “Now we should proceed creating. We need to be among the many finest on the continent within the coming years.”
Regardless of their elimination, Benin Republic’s spirited show in Abeokuta earned widespread reward from followers and analysts, who counseled the staff’s resilience towards one in every of Africa’s footballing powerhouses.
