Former Sevilla forward Toni Payne has identified a key player in Spain’s women’s national team who could pose a significant threat to Nigeria when they face off this evening, Soccernet.ng reports.
Payne, now playing for Everton, highlighted midfielder Patri Guijarro of La Roja as a player to watch when the Super Falcons meet Spain in Nantes.
The Super Falcons suffered a 1-0 defeat to Brazil in their Summer Olympics opener in Bordeaux and now face an even tougher challenge against the reigning Women’s World Cup champions.
For Payne, who spent six years playing for Sevilla in Liga F, the match will be a difficult task for Randy Waldrum’s team, and they must be particularly wary of the Barcelona midfielder.
“A lot of people will say Aitana and it is obvious that it is. I would say to watch out for Patri Guijarro. She has a lot of mobility, she is very good with the ball, she also surprises by reaching the area, she scores goals and we have to be very careful with her,” Payne told AS.
The Super Falcons must avoid a loss to Spain to keep their quarter-final hopes alive. Payne emphasized that the Nigerian team has the skills necessary to compete against their esteemed opponents.
“They are the best in the world, they have won the World Cup and they have a very good team, with the best players in the world. I’m very excited to compete against them. I know that in Nigeria we also have a good team, many of us are in the best teams, we are at that level too, and I know it will be a good game,” Payne added.
The Super Falcons will be aiming to make a statement to the world when they take on the Spanish side. A victory for Nigeria would put them on course for the next round.
