Super Falcons captain Onome Ebi is taking consolation in the euphoria of making a dream return to the Nigeria Women Football League after her Naija Ratels side lost their first game of the season 3-1 at home to Nasarawa Amazons in Abuja on Wednesday, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
The 40-year-old provided the assist for Ratels’ only goal in the game which came after their visitors had taken a 3-0 lead.
Despite the defeat, an emotional Ebi said she was proud of making her own dreams as well as other players in the league come true.
“I am proud to have achieved this goal of coming back to our own league after almost 13 years of playing abroad, a journey I thought was impossible to accomplish, but here I am, played my first game with my new team in Nigeria Naija Ratels.
“The joy I felt seeing both my team’s young stars and our opponents taking pictures after the game was priceless. Some player from our opponent said to me, ‘Thank God I played with you today’. It’s like a dream come true for them all, and I was pleased and happy to hear that. That’s my main purpose of coming back, for the young lads to feel my presence and to encourage the league,” she said.
“Not the result we wanted as a team, we will go learn from our mistakes and come back stronger. Nothing is impossible, it’s just the mindset.”
Ebi has been a centre of attraction in the NWFL ahead of the start of the new season after she was unveiled by the Abuja-based side.
The Super Falcons defender played for Bayelsa Queens in the league in 2008 after starting her career with Omidiran Babes. She returns to the league after a career abroad for clubs in Sweden, Turkey, Belarus, China and Spain.
The new NWFL season began on Tuesday with a goalless draw between Ekiti Queens and defending champions Delta Queens in Ado-Ekiti while other games followed on Wednesday.
Contact: [email protected]
