What Eguavoen said after beating Comoros 2-0

Super Falcons interim coach Augustine Eguavoen has admitted he felt nervous after his team failed to score against Comoros in the first half of their 2028 Olympic qualifier on Friday.

​The team returned to action on Friday night in their first outing since a dismal campaign at the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), where a quarterfinal exit cost them a spot at the World Cup.

​Comoros was expected to provide a soft landing for Eguavoen’s side, given the big gap in quality and pedigree between the two nations. With the fixture played on home soil in Ikenne, the Coelacanths were expected to get a sound whooping.

​Nigeria commanded proceedings throughout but could not find the net before the break. The breakthrough eventually arrived in the 48th minute courtesy of Michelle Alozie, before Uchenna Kanu doubled the lead in the 59th minute.

​The winning margin could easily have been bigger, but the Falcons lacked a clinical edge in the final third.

Super Falcons: 5 takeaways from Nigeria’s win over Comoros, including Eguavoen’s lucky charm https://t.co/zGRB3B96TT

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​Speaking after the match, Eguavoen acknowledged his initial anxiety over missed opportunities:

​”I was nervous at the start because we desperately wanted to win the game. A draw away from home might be acceptable on paper, but given our pedigree and quality — regardless of the opponent — we expected more. We showed them utmost respect, but that first half was certainly worrisome,” Eguavoen said, per Victor Ademola TV.

​”Still, I knew we would score eventually. It was only a matter of time because we dominated from start to finish. Comoros put up a spirited fight, but our superiority ultimately showed.”

​Eguavoen on Key Absences and Tactical Versatility

​The lineup fielded against Comoros was not really Nigeria’s first-choice eleven, with several regulars unavailable. Veteran defender Osinachi Ohale has retired from international duty, while Deborah Abiodun, Asisat Oshoala, and Ashleigh Plumptre were sidelined through injury.

​Despite the high-profile absences, Eguavoen expressed full confidence in the depth of his squad, emphasizing that positional versatility remains central to his setup:

​”My philosophy is simple: to earn a place in this team, a player must be adaptable across multiple roles. Unfortunately, Demehin is unavailable, and Osinachi has retired — I tried to convince her to stay, but her mind was made up and we must respect that.

​”Ucheibe dropped into that defensive role as a result. We discussed it beforehand, and she possesses the tactical discipline to cover different areas. In truth, almost everyone in this squad offers that flexibility, which is a massive blessing for Nigeria—even Nnadozie could step into central defence if required.”

Super Falcons Will Dominate Africa Again – Eguavoen

​Looking ahead, Eguavoen insisted the team is primed to reclaim the dominance on the continent, maintaining that lessons were learned from their recent continental setback:

​”What happened at WAFCON wasn’t an outright disaster; when you dominate a continent for decades, a dip can happen. Missing out on the World Cup was the true heartbreak. The reality is that every opponent raises their level when facing Nigeria. We have absorbed those lessons as a unit, and moving forward, we won’t let those lapses repeat themselves.”

​The Super Falcons turn their attention to the return fixture against Comoros on Tuesday at the Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne, targeting a bigger scoreline so as to set up a clash with Morocco in the next round. Given the gulf in class, Tuesday’s encounter ought to be straightforward for the ten-time African queens.