Revealed: what Ashleigh Plumptre said to Super Falcons players after Spain loss

• Nigeria lost their Paris 2024 Olympics second Group C game to world champions Spain
• The Super Falcons battled hard but were breached by a late freekick from Alexia Putellas
• Defender Ashleigh Plumptre sent a message to her teammates despite the painful defeat

The Super Falcons of Nigeria lost their Paris 2024 Olympics second Group C match to Spain, but one player is proud of her teammates for one key aspect of their game.

Nigeria went into the game knowing avoiding defeat would boost their chances of qualifying for the next round after losing their opening match 1-0 to Brazil.

Super Falcons players look dejected after losing 1-0 to Spain at Paris 2024 Olympics. Photo by Romain Perrocheau.
Source: Getty Images

They battled hard defensively for most of the game until Alexia Putellas’s late free-kick beat Chiamaka Nnadozie and condemned the Falcons to defeat.

Japan scored two late goals to beat Brazil in the other group game, handing the eleven-time African champions a lifeline on the final matchday.

Plumptre applauds Super Falcons

Spain came into the tournament as world champions and have become the first country to reach the knockout stage of women's football at the Olympics.

Falcons' disciplined defensive display has earned them plaudits from teammate Ashleigh Plumptre, who shared a message on social media after the match.

“This team knows how to defend - sheesh! Good fight @NGSuper_Falcons - proud to watch 🇳🇬💚,” she wrote.

According to BBC Sports, the Al-Ittihad Ladies defender missed the tournament after undergoing surgery on a long-standing Achilles tendon injury in April.

Fans reacted to her post, with the majority of them claiming she is missed in the team.

@Authordwonder wrote:

“Missed you on the pitch today, quick recovery 💪💪.”

@Makavelli_08 replied:

“You were greatly missed at the left side of the pitch, kudos to the whole squad tho”

@Edis_DMM replied:

“Hey, your overlapping runs, swift passing, ball control & timely tackles has been greatly missed 😊.”

How Super Falcons can still qualify

Legit.ng reported that the Super Falcons can still qualify for the knockout stage of the Paris 2024 Olympics despite losing their first two Group C matches.

Japan beating Brazil 2-1 gave Nigeria a lifeline to qualify automatically by finishing second in the group or as one of the best third-placed teams.

Source: Legit.ng