Super Falcons forward Esther Okoronkwo has fired a stern warning to South Africa’s Bayana Bayana ahead of their semi-final clash at the ongoing Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, Footynaija.com reports.
Okoronkwo and the Falcons are set to lock horns with South Africa in a repeat of the 2022 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations semi-final where Bayana Bayana edged out Nigeria on penalties before eventually going on to win the tournament.
So far, Okoronkwo has been one of the standout performers for Justin Madugu’s side and currently leads the tournament’s assist providers chart. Speaking at a pre-match press conference on Monday morning, the AFC Toronto forward declared Nigeria’s preparedness to secure nothing but a win on Tuesday.
“When I am on the field, I just want to help the team, possibly the best way I can, whether it is by scoring or assisting,” Okoronkwo said. “The fact that we want to win the tournament is a great motivation to bring the trophy back to Nigeria.
“We go into every game with the same mentality to want to win, regardless of what is in front of us. We are prepared and ready to win tomorrow. We’re not really looking at the other team’s stats; we just focus on us and what we’re going to do tomorrow.”
The Super Falcons head into this semi-final in high spirits after recording a resounding 5-0 victory over Zambia in the quarterfinals. Okoronkwo played a starring role in that particular game, grabbing a goal and two assists for herself.
Going into Tuesday’s game, the 28-year-old looks prime to retain her place in the starting XI as the Super Falcons seek to exact revenge on Bayana Bayana for the heartbreak of the last edition.