Mercy Akide confident Nigeria can win Olympic clash against Japan

The West Africans have lost both their group-stage matches in the Games, losing 1-0 to Brazil and Spain, respectively. 

Akide insists the Super Falcons will bounce back this evening.

“Yes, I believe Nigeria can win. We have shown at the World Cup that we have what it takes to play with the best in the world and we have also shown in two games at the Olympics that we can hang in there with the very best like the World champions,” Akide said

“Our girls just need to believe in their own abilities and cut out the errors at the back that has cost them in two games. They also need to take their chances. Those are the two biggest things that have cost them so far.”

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Akide also played for the Super Falcons in three FIFA Women's World Cups and was part of the squad that reached the Olympic quarterfinals in Athens in 2014, Nigeria’s best finish at the Games. 

She insists their “never say die” spirit helped them through the group stages.

“We never gave up. We believed we could win and we challenged each other on the pitch to keep fighting and to keep playing for each other. If anybody was slacking, others would make sure they knew it and that’s how we pushed each other,” she concluded.