Nigeria’s Super Falcons captain, Asisat Oshoala has admitted that the encouragement from her teammates motivated her recent scoring form in the Spanish Primera Iberdrola this season.
The Barcelona forward who boasted nine goals in five pre-season games for Barcelona failed to find the back of the net in three opening competitive matches for the Spanish giants.
Despite scoring in Nigeria’s triumph over Algeria and draw with Cote d’Ivoire, Oshoala’s efforts were not enough to save the African champions from missing the Olympic Games for the third time in a row.
However, she broke her season duck, with a brace in the Blaguares’ 6-1 crushing of defending champions Atletico Madrid on September 21, and since then never took her legs off the pedals.
After netting in four consecutive matches for the first time in Spain, in a 5-0 bashing of Logrono on Sunday, the 25-year-old has credited her teammates for her recent impressive performances.
“Basically for me, I think it’s football,” Oshoala told Goal while reacting on her recent scoring form this season.
“Sometimes, you get things right and sometimes it seems like it’s not working out but you just need to keep working and put yourself together and get back up.
“I think it’s about the team spirit and the love from the girls. Each game we play, we try to encourage each other, even when people make mistakes on the field of play.
“We don’t yell at each other but encourage ourselves. In difficult moments, when we try to get goals in very important games, we try to keep our heads up and encourage each other on the field of play.
“It’s the most important thing in football when you have teammates that help you get better in every game.”
With five goals in six league games, Oshoala is the second joint-topscorer on the Primera Iberdrola scorers chart, two behind Barcelona teammate and leading scorer Jenni Hermoso.
The Super Falcons captain will aim to continue with her impressive lethal form this season when Barcelona travel to face compatriot Chidinma Okeke’s Madrid on Sunday before heading to Belarus.​
Packaged by Lanre Olabisi
