By Gowon Akpodonor

Oshoala, Oluehi, others escape elevator mishap
Brazil striker, Adriana is optimistic her side will overrun the Super Falcons of Nigeria in their Paris 2024 Olympics opening Group C encounter, on Thursday.

The 2024 Paris Olympics will begin on July 26, but some team sports, including football and handball, will commence before then.

Twenty-five years ago, the Super Falcons and their Brazilian counterparts were involved in a match, which till today, is ranked as the second best game ever played in the FIFA Women’s World Cup history. That match, a quarterfinal tie at USA ‘99, saw the Nigerians come from 1-4 down to level at 4-4 before losing on Golden Goal in the 104 minute. That was the first time the Golden Goal rule was used in women’s football. It changed the face of women’s football across the world.

Nigeria and Brazil will begin hostilities at the Paris 2024 Olympics women’s football event on Thursday, and Adriana believes the game will be decisive and can define how far Brazil goes in their hunt for the gold medal.
Despite parading one of the deadliest women players in football, Brazil have not won a gold medal at the Olympics. They have just two silver medals to show for their efforts against four gold medals won by the United States.

This time around, Adriana, who plays for Orlando Pride, and who has been described as strong in movement and speed, is confident of the team’s success in Paris.
For Adriana, the competition will be defined “in the details” starting with their opening Group C game against the Super Falcons on Thursday.

“Detail of a set piece, for example, both in front to score a goal, and in defense to prevent the opponent’s goal. That’s why we must pay all possible attention not only in the games but also in the day-to-day training,” she said.

Adriana, however, foresees a very difficult match against Nigeria but remains optimistic. “This first game is decisive. In fact, it’s always going to be that way. In any case, we have to have a lot of concentration, with a lot of focus, in this debut. And take it step-by-step.”

Meanwhile, some players of the Super Falcons, at the weekend, escaped an elevator crisis in Bordeaux, France, the venue of their opening Group C game.

In a now-viral video of the incident, at least seven players were trapped in a malfunctioning elevator, awaiting help at Hotel Mercure, in Bordeaux.

The team arrived in Bordeaux, on Thursday, from Sevilla, Spain, where they had been fine-tuning preparations for the Olympics. The Super Falcons lost 0-1 to Canada in their last warm-up game.

While returning to their hotel rooms, however, the players were stuck in the elevator for minutes due to a technical glitch.

“God abeg o,” a player retorted in pidgin English as they awaited emergency rescue that arrived minutes into the video.

“If I survive this one, see that stares, if I no pieces am,” another player promised as they were being evacuated from the elevator.

Asisat Oshoala, Tochukwu Oluehi, and Uchenna Kanu were some of the players identified in the footage.
After Thursday’s crucial opening match against Brazil, the Super Falcons, led by Randy Waldrum, will face Spain, and Japan in their remaining Group C games.