Super Falcons head coach Thomas Dennerby is confident his side will produce a good performance in today’s 2019 Women’s World Cup Group A clash against hosts France at the Roazhon Park, Rennes.
The African champions bounced back from their 3-0 opening day defeat to Norway with a 2-0 win over Korea Korea in Grenoble last Wednesday.
Falcons will need to avoid defeat in today’s game to be sure of a place in the second round.
France thrashed Nigeria 8-0 the last time both countries met in a friendly match over a year ago.
“I hope that you will see a different Nigeria team from that [8-0] game which was our first for about one and a half years,” Dennerby told a press conference on Sunday.
“It was the first time we met players and the new coaches and so on. We promise that we will at least fight so much harder and be better organized than we were in that game.
“We always show respect to the team we play and we will definitely do that with France. I think all teams have a good picture of the others and maybe if you can find some weakness they know about us and we know about them as well. So I guess, it’s more about who is fulfilling the plan in the best way and which team has the best day.”
Dennerby added: “I think we will have a good chance. I think we need to believe you that we can’t feel that we can do it because you can’t go into any game and have that feeling. So, we really have to have a really strong belief.
“I will not say that we don’t feel that we are under some kind of pressure at all. I think it’s a good opportunity that we have a chance to do something that we have not done for 20 years.
“So, that is just a good feeling and I hope we can bring that good feeling to the field so the girls feel really relaxed but also concentrated.
“I think if we can have both parts relaxed when we have the ball and the tough play when they defend, I think we have a good opportunity so it’s a successful game.”
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