Super Falcons forward Gift Monday has defended teammate Asisat Oshoala’s form at the ongoing Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
The Barcelona Femeni star’s best performance in the tournament was off the bench against co-hosts the Matildas which resulted in a 3-2 victory. However in the games against Canada and Ireland, the former Arsenal and Liverpool player was not so effective, drawing the ire of fans back at home.
Monday, who made her debut off the bench against the Irish, asserts that every player has their good and bad days and it should not be used to judge them overall.
The UDG Tenerife player also said she is ready to be a game changer whenever the opportunity presents itself for her to play.
“Finally making my World Cup debut, I feel so happy, I feel really excited,” Monday told Afrosport. “t’s a dream come true and I give all the glory to God for this opportunity.
“Every player has their good day and bad day. It’s part of football. Sometimes if she [Oshoala] is coming from the bench, she is going to do the right thing and sometimes when she has started we have seen her do the right thing, she has helped the country on both occasions.
“We should not use her present situation to judge her entire form. Everybody on the bench are all game changers so if the opportunity comes everyone is ready to give their best, not just me because that is what everyone has been working hard for.”
Reflecting on the Ireland game that some fans think should have been an easy win in the bag for the Falcons, Gift says the game does not work that way, citing the result against Canada and Australia where Nigeria were tipped to have no chance of getting a result.
“Football is just not what we see from outside the pitch,” she continued.
“They [Nigerian fans] might think we would beat Ireland and we didn’t but they never thought that we would beat Australia and come out with a draw against Canada. So that is just football.
“It’s not what we predict that usually happens.”
The Super Falcons prepare to take on England in the Round of 16 in Brisbane on Monday. This is another game where Nigeria are underdogs and Gift says the mood is positive in the camp at the moment and believes that another dogged performance can see them through to the quarter-finals.
“It’s all positive energy. Everybody is happy with our present form. We hope to do better and are working on it,” she stated.
“Facing England is going to be a difficult task, no doubt about it but our chances of upsetting them and achieving our goal is to do what we know how to do best, come out with our whole heart, play our mind, give a good fight and I pray God will crown our efforts.”
Outgoing FIFA General Secretary Fatma Samoura paid a visit to the Falcons’ locker room after the Ireland game to encourage them and Monday saw the gesture as motivation for the team.
“It’s my first time seeing the FIFA General Secretary and felt like wow, for her to come in, give us her own speech and encouragement, I feel its something great,” Gift explained.
“It’s a big motivation to the team. It means we are doing something right. It means Nigeria is a good country and has a good team.”
Watch the #FIFAWWC Round of 16 match between England????????????????????????????and Nigeria????????LIVE on #Afrosport, channel 730 on Free TV or stream for FREE via https://t.co/GWrcUMfLC3
Date: Monday, August 7
Time: 8.30am (West African Time)#Nigeria #SuperFalcons #ENGNGA #BeyondGreatness pic.twitter.com/Q0k9rUYGyV— AfroSport (@AfroSportTV) August 6, 2023
On a final note, Gift had a message to the Nigerian fans. She said:
“My message to Nigerian fans is that their support is needed and also their prayers because we can’t do this on our own.
“We are a religious country and we believe so much in God so we need their support and prayers. We [the players] love them all.”
Watch England vs Nigeria live on Afrosport TV across Nigeria, Channel 730 on Free TV or stream online via VIDIVU TV
