Nigeria's senior women's national team Interim Head Coach Augustine Eguavoen has praised his players for their team spirit, resilience and tactical flexibility following Nigeria’s 2-0 victory over Comoros in the first leg of the second round of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic qualifiers.

Speaking at the post-match press conference, Eguavoen admitted he was nervous at half-time despite Nigeria’s dominance in the opening period, as the Super Falcons failed to convert their scoring opportunities.

“I was nervous at half-time because, although we were playing at home, considering our pedigree and quality, I knew we were going to score. It was just a matter of time,” Eguavoen said.

The coach acknowledged Comoros’ spirited performance but insisted that Nigeria controlled much of the first half and created several chances before finding the breakthrough after the interval.

“Comoros put up a good fight, but we showed our team spirit,” he added.

Michelle Alozie opened the scoring in the 48th minute before Uchenna Kanu doubled Nigeria’s advantage in the 60th minute, with both goals coming from set-piece situations.

Eguavoen said the technical crew would continue working on the team’s set-piece execution and finishing ahead of the return leg, particularly after the missed opportunities in the first half.

“We discussed how we wasted our chances in front of goal in the first half. We eventually got our goals from set pieces, and we will work on that before the second leg,” he stated.

The interim coach also praised Christy Ucheibe for her performance at centre-back, explaining that his football philosophy encourages players to be comfortable in multiple positions to give the team greater tactical flexibility.

“My philosophy is for the players to be able to play for us in more than one position. We discussed it with the players, and we are blessed with talented footballers who can play in different positions,” he explained.

Eguavoen expressed satisfaction with the integration of the new players who made their senior international debuts against Comoros. He credited the more experienced members of the squad for helping the newcomers settle into the team.

He stressed that creating a supportive environment was essential to ensuring the debutants could perform confidently and contribute to Nigeria’s objectives.

The coach also addressed Nigeria’s recent disappointment at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, rejecting suggestions that the campaign should be described as a disaster. However, he acknowledged that the experience had provided valuable lessons for the team.

According to Eguavoen, opponents often raise their performance levels when facing the Super Falcons, making it important for Nigeria to learn from past experiences and avoid repeating previous mistakes.

Despite recognising the challenges ahead, he expressed confidence in the squad’s potential and urged Nigerians to continue supporting the team as they pursue qualification for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.