Female national team, Super Falcons’ goalkeeper, Tochukwu Oluehi has admitted her deep regrets over the red card she got in the squad’s first match of the 2019 Cyprus International Women’s Cup, which they tired in the second half and eventually lost 4-1 against Austria.
Sports247.ng reports that Falcons’ coach, Thomas Dennerby was forced to make an early alteration to his game plan and tactics for Wednesday’s game at AEK Arena, Lanaca, Cyprus, but his side struggled after Oluehi’s dismissal, despite putting up spirited efforts all through the first half.
Dennerby had to make the unplanned change in the seventh minute of the encounter, as he sent on Christy Ohiaeriaku for Cecilia Nku following the sending off of Oluehi, who will now miss Friday’s tie with Slovakia.
Oluehi went on to acknowledge and rue the setback occasioned by her early dismissal, which came after she took down a goal bound opponent, as the Austrians tore through the Falcons’ defence.
That affected the Falcons’ tactical and psychological balance, such that the side struggled to hold their own and barely managed to hold their own against the less fancied Austrians, who were immensely buoyed by their numerical advantage.
Dennerby admitted it was a lopsided approach his lasses then adopted against Dominik Thalhammer’s side, as the Falocns struggled to contain the Europeans after the restart.
Falcons’ Starting 11: Oluehi, Ikidi, Ebi (c), Ohale, Imoh, Chikwelu, Nku, Ihezuo, Ayinde, Uchendu, Oshoala.
Substitutes: Ohiaeriaku; Nnadozie; Ogbonna; Chukwunonye; Okoronkwo; Okobi; Ajibade; Umotong; Ogebe; Kanu; Oparanozie.
