Ashleigh Plumptre: We’re Happy With the Win, But There’s Still Work to Do
Super Falcons defender Ashleigh Plumptre says there is still room for improvement despite Nigeria’s 3–0 victory over Tunisia in their opening match at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Casablanca.
The 27-year-old, who plays for Al-Ittihad Ladies in Saudi Arabia, previously represented England at youth level before switching to play for Nigeria. She made her debut for the Super Falcons in February 2022 and is now featuring in her second major tournament for the team. She missed out on the Paris 2024 Olympics due to injury.
Plumptre had a goal wrongly ruled out in the match, but she remained focused and encouraged her teammates to build on the win.
“I’m really happy,” she said. “It’s the first game of the tournament, so we were all a bit nervous and excited. Getting three goals and keeping a clean sheet is a great way to start.”
She added, “We’ll treat this as a good starting point. We’ll look at what we did well and where we need to improve, both in attack and defence. We know we can be better, but we’re pleased with the three points.”
Plumptre, who formerly played for Leicester City, also expressed her gratitude for the warm support she has received from Nigerians since joining the team.
“I’m very thankful for all the support. I’ve been with the team for about four years now, and from the start, everyone welcomed me with open arms,” she said. “I still feel the love from Nigerian fans, and I don’t take it for granted. Please keep supporting us, and we’ll do everything we can to make the country proud.”
The Super Falcons will face Botswana next on Thursday at Stade Larbi Zaouli in Casablanca as they continue their WAFCON 2024 campaign.
