Despite a disappointing 3-0 home loss to the Washington Spirit, National Women’s Soccer League side Bay FC celebrated a momentous occasion on Sunday – sending off three of their players to compete in the 2024 Paris Olympics!
Following the match, a celebratory atmosphere filled the air as the club honoured Canada’s goalkeeper Lysianne Proulx, Zambia’s forward Rachael Kundananji, and Nigeria’s legendary striker Asisat Oshoala. Each player received gifts and well wishes from the club and their teammates, who formed a guard of honour and cheered them on with chants of encouragement.
Oshoala, a key figure in Coach Randy Waldrum’s Super Falcons squad, played a vital role in securing Nigeria’s first Olympic berth in sixteen years. Now, they face a challenging Group C alongside powerhouses Spain, Japan, and Brazil.
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The top two teams from each group, along with the two best third-place teams, will advance to the knockout stage. Nigeria’s journey begins on July 25th against Brazil, followed by Spain on July __ (date missing from text). Their group stage concludes on July 31st against Japan.
Meanwhile, Proulx joins the reigning Olympic champions, Canada. They’ll battle it out in Group A against Colombia, New Zealand, and host nation France. Kundananji, on the other hand, will be making history with Zambia’s first-ever Olympic appearance. Their group-stage opponents are formidable – the United States, Germany, and Australia.
The Super Falcons have already begun their Olympic preparations. They landed in Spain on Friday for a two-week training camp and held their first training session in Sevilla on Sunday. The remaining invited players are expected to join the camp this week, solidifying their focus on achieving Olympic glory.
