Super Falcons head coach, Randy Waldrum has admitted that Ashleigh Plumptre and Halimatu Ayinde have left a big void as his team continues preparations for women’s football event at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Plumptre sustained an injury while playing for her club, Al-Ittihad. Despite undergoing surgery, she has not recovered in time for the Olympics.
Ayinde, who was included in Waldrum’s final 18-player roster, injured her knee during training, ruling her out of the competition.
“When you lose Ashleigh Plumptre and Halimatu Ayinde, they are two world-class players. It’s tough for any team to lose them, especially both at the same time,” Waldrum stated.
“But we always tell our players that someone else has to step up and replace them. We saw that with Chidinma Okeke stepping in at left-back for Plumptre against Cameroon and South Africa.”
Despite the setbacks, Waldrum expressed confidence in the team’s depth and quality.
“I think right now it’s a good thing we have some depth in midfield, players Deborah Abiodun and Toni Payne. It’s still a solid midfield. We have other players.
“Echegini can play in there, and Ajibade can play in there. So, even though we lose some players, we have some depth in there. It certainly has to happen; I feel bad for them for not going to the Olympics.
Nigeria is drawn in same Group C with Japan, Brazil and Spain.
