Coach of the Super Falcons of Nigeria Randy Waldrum has chalked down the inability of the Super Falcons to win the bronze medal at the 2022 Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) to a lack of clinical finishing in front of goal.
The Super Falcons were defeated on Friday night by the Copper Queens of Zambia in the loser's final after Nigerian goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie unwittingly scored an own goal in the 28th minute.
The result meant the defending champions finished fourth at the 2022 edition of the competition, making it only the second time ever they have missed a podium finish in the competition after suffering the same fate in 2012.
Waldrum blames lack of goals for Super Falcons loss to Zambia
In the aftermath of the match held at the Stade Mohammed V Stadium in Rabat, Waldrum noted that the Super Falcons would learn from the result against the Zambians as they go forward.
ALSO READ
Player Ratings: Okobi brilliant against Zambia, Nnadozie commit own goal, Super Falcons disappoint
As reported by sports journalist Adeleke Ayoola on his personal Twitter account, Waldrum admitted that though the Nigerian women's national team lost the semifinal fixture due to two red cards, the third-place defeat was a different situation.
Waldrum said: "We were in a position to be in the final, but things changed due to the red cards and today we are having another conversation entirely. We have to learn a lot from this situation and be more clinical in front of the goal."
Since Kadiri Ikhana in 2012, Waldrum has been the only Nigerian women's national team coach to have lost the third-place match at a WAFCON tournament.
Super Falcons' poor outing at WAFCON 2022
The Super Falcons had a below-par WAFCON tournament by their standards, losing three (3) and winning three (3) of the six (6) matches they played at the tournament.
The record nine-time African champions lost their opening match of the 2022 tournament by a lone goal at the hands of the Banyana Banyana of South Africa.
The Super Falcons then lost the semi-finals after a penalty shootout to host nation Morocco, in an enthralling match that saw the Nigerian national team play with only 9 players from the second half.
However, the Waldrum-led side secured qualification for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup to be held in Australia and New Zealand in July 2023.