The most outstanding player in Saturday’s final at the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, Esther Okoronkwo has disclosed that the Super Falcons were able to beat the hosts because they knew what defeat would mean to them after the game.
Sports247 reports that the AFC Toronto of Canada attacker first scored a 66th-minute crucial penalty that revived Nigeria’s hope of a comeback after initially going down 2-0 against the hosts, then she helped to knick victory with assists on goals for Folashade Ijamilusi (70th) and Jennifer Echegini (88th).
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The game eventually ended 3-2 in Nigeria’s favour, meaning the Falcons had achieved the aim of their much avowed ‘Mission X,’ and Okoronkwo disclosed that it made her very happy.
The 28-year-old lanky lass declared, “I feel happy, and I feel fulfilled. Like every other Nigerian, I am really delighted. The first half was unfortunate for us, and we were not really playing well.
“It was one of those things that happen in football. But, when we went into the locker room, we knew we had to come back with the spirit of victory.”
Okoronkwo, who was born in Abia State but schooled in the United States of America, where she played collegiate football with Northeast Texas Eagles and Lamar Lady Cardinals, also parried insinuations that the match referee aided Nigeria’s revival; choosing instead to put it all down to desire and determination.
“I think the referee got most of the calls right. Even when she initially pointed at a penalty kick against us, she went to the VAR and saw that it was not a PK. So, she quickly changed her decision.
“So, it was more of that we had the fighting spirit, and we knew we were going to come back in the second half. It was all or nothing for us,” admitted Okoronkwo.
The vastly improved lass, who has also previously played club football at full professional level with Saint Etienne of France, UD Tenerife of Spain and Chanchung Dazhong Zhuoyue of China, concluded by revealing how teamwork and togetherness helped the Falcons turn the table against their hosts and they were able to pull the chestnut out of fire in the second half.
“It was all or nothing, and we knew it. So, we came together as a team and agreed that we had to go all out in the second half.
“The Moroccans are a good team, and they played well. They knew what they were doing, but we also knew what we had to do.
“We had to come up with something better in the second half. That’s what we did, and we found a way to beat them,” Okoronkwo stated with a tone of satisfaction.
