Ashleigh Plumptre believes the Super Falcons gave it their all in their penalty shootout loss to England in the 2023 Women’s World Cup.
The defender played every minute of England’s Lionesses’ round-of-16 loss on Monday. Coach Randy Waldrum’s girls were defeated 4-2 on penalties by the European champions after regulation and extra time finished goalless.
Despite failing to qualify for the competition in Australia and New Zealand, Plumptre lauded the team’s performance.
“When the penalties ended, I thought it was obviously very disappointing, but I felt proud of every player because we gave all that we could,” she remarked on Channels Television’s Sports Tonight on Thursday.
The player, who hit the woodwork during the clash, said she did not leave the game with “regrets because I felt like I gave all of myself and everything I could give”.
She, however, said on hindsight, the team could have been a “little bit more patient” in working with the ball especially after the English side were reduced to ten players.
“So, I think we didn’t necessarily have to rush to find a goal,” she said but reiterated that “at the end of the day, we did what we could do”.
The nine-time African country’s performances down under took many by storm considering the bonus row between the players and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).
They finished second behind co-hosts Australia in the Group B standings, earning five points in the process. That was the first time Nigeria finished the first stage of the competition without a loss.
But that feat could not have been achieved without the players’ determination, the former Leicester City defender said.
“For us to have that self-belief in spite of all that,” she said, shows how determined the ladies were in Australia and New Zealand.
She wants the Nigerian team to show such a level of performance on a more consistence level going forward.