‘My spirits are high’ – Super Falcons leader Rasheedat Ajibade drops emotional update after horrific injury against Comoros

An evening of absolute football glory for Nigeria was completely overshadowed by raw fear after the beloved captain of the Super Falcons, Rasheedat Ajibade, suffered a devastating, bone-crushing injury scare on the pitch.

The rampant Super Falcons put on a clinical masterclass, defeating Comoros 5-0 at the Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne on Tuesday to secure a staggering 7-0 aggregate victory in their LA 2028 Olympic qualifiers. 

Interim head coach Augustine Eguavoen’s side completely dominated from start to finish, booking a mouth-watering next-round date against Morocco's Atlas Lionesses.

However, the stadium fell into total, dead silence in the 28th minute of the first half when Atletico Madrid superstar Ajibade collapsed to the turf following a horrific, heavy collision, forcing the medical team to rush her off the pitch in deep agony.

Despite losing their inspirational leader early in the first half, the Nigerian girls took the setback personally and unleashed pure attacking chaos on their opponents. 

After Gift Monday missed an early sitter, the breakthrough finally arrived in the 41st minute when Uchenna Kanu capitalised on an embarrassing goalkeeper error to set up Toni Payne for an easy tap-in.

The second half turned into a complete bloodbath for the visitors after Eguavoen introduced Blessing Okpe:

• 58th Minute (2-0): Substitute Folashade Ijamilusi whipped in a beautiful, precise cross for Uchenna Kanu to power home a firm header.

• 63rd Minute (3-0): Okpe did some magical work down the flank, beating two defenders before cutting the ball back to Toni Payne for her second goal of the night.

• 66th Minute (4-0): The unstoppable Ijamilusi registered another quick assist, finding Kanu who clinically headed home her second of the match.

• 71st Minute (5-0): Midfield powerhouse Christy Ucheibe stepped up to calmly bury a penalty after Okpe was violently brought down inside the box.

While fans were busy celebrating the historic 7-0 aggregate slaughter, deep anxieties remained over the physical state of their captain. 

Breaking her silence via an emotional social media release, the "Girl with the Blue Hair" moved quickly to calm down the panicked Nigerian football public.

"Another international break has come to an end, and I am grateful. It is an honour to lead this group of women," Ajibade shared. "I want to address the incident that happened to me during the second leg against Comoros. Medical scans and consultations are currently ongoing, and more updates will be shared when available."

Showing the heart of a true warrior, the Super Falcons leader reassured her fans: "At the moment, I am doing completely okay and my spirits are incredibly high. To everyone who reached out with messages, prayers, and kind words, thank you from the bottom of my heart. For now, my absolute focus is on recovery and returning much stronger for club and country."

With their captain officially starting her rehabilitation journey, the rest of the squad will keep their boots tightly laced as they prepare for a fierce, legendary war against Morocco for the ultimate ticket to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.