As Nigeria gear up for their upcoming Olympic qualifier against Cameroon in Douala on Friday, head coach Randy Waldrum has emphasized that the primary goal is to secure qualification for the Paris Olympics this summer.

Returning to lead the Super Falcons after their World Cup campaign last year, Waldrum acknowledged the challenge posed by Cameroon but expressed confidence in the team spirit and chances of success.

In an interview with the official Super Falcons’ social media page, the 67-year-old emphasized the importance of focusing solely on the task at hand.

He downplayed discussions of Olympic glory, emphasizing the need to first secure qualification, especially since Nigeria has not participated in the tournament for fifteen years.

“The goal is to qualify for the Olympics as we can’t look ahead of ourselves as to the Olympics until we get there, so qualification is going to be the primary goal. Everyone knows we’ve got a difficult set of matches coming up against Cameroon, so all the focus will be on those two matches.”

Waldrum acknowledged the difficulty of the upcoming matches against Cameroon, highlighting the familiarity and talent of both teams.

However, he praised the squad’s chemistry and expressed optimism about their chances, drawing inspiration from their performances during the World Cup.

“They will be seeking revenge. Both nations know each other very well, have a lot of talent, and are very dangerous, but I really like our squad and the team chemistry.

“We were able to get all of our players back in so if we can put in performances like the World Cup, then we have good chances.”

The return of Ashleigh Plumptre to then team adds depth and experience, further bolstering their prospects in the qualifiers.