Super Falcons’ midfield battler, Deborah Abiodun has rejected a tag of ‘Yellow Card Mandate’ ascribed to her ahead of Nigeria’s semi-final clash with South Africa at the ongoing Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.
Sports247 reports that the tag came after Abiodun went into different referees’ bad books during the Falcons’ first two matches of the competition that is officially known as WAFCON 2024.
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Getting the yellow card against Tunisia and Botswana meant the Dallas Trinity FC of USA ace, on loan from fellow-American side, Washington Spirit, missed the third group match versus Algeria.
She returned to action as a second half substitute for Saturday’s quarter-finals fixture versus Zambia, which Nigeria won 5-0, and now looks good to start on Tuesday against South Africa in the first semi-final.
Sports247 recalls that another patch Abiodun would always like to forget came for her at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, as she was shown a red card in Nigeria’s goalless draw with Canada on July 21st.
Coincidentally, Tuesday’s semi-final at Stade Larbi Zaouli in Casablanca will come just a day after exactly a year when Abiodun was sent off while in action for Nigeria, hence her polite swipe when she was called ‘Yellow Card Magnet’ by a journalist.
Abiodun, who was born in Ibadan but first made football waves with Rivers Angels of Port Harcourt, then spent two years schooling and playing collegiate football at University Of Pittsburgh in USA, pointed out: “Calling me ‘Yellow Card Mandate’ is not a great one; because no player wants to get a yellow card in any game.”
Having calmly brushed aside the unwanted tag, Abiodun then spoke about her aspirations with the Falcons at WAFCON 2024, while also admitting she would love to be part of action against Banyana Banyana on Tuesday.
“I just want to play for my nation. Regardless of what happens at the end of the day, I just want to be able to put smiles on Nigerian faces.
“I also want to make myself and my family proud. I always want to bring my A-game into every competition,” revealed the 21-year-old soft-spoken schemer.
