Super Falcons interim head coach Augustine Eguavoen has praised Joy Igbokwe following her impressive senior debut for Nigeria as the former African champions prepare to face Comoros in the second leg of their 2028 Olympic qualifiers, Footynaija.com reports.
Igbokwe earned her first senior international start in Friday’s first leg at the Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne, where Nigeria secured a 2-0 victory over Comoros.
The 20-year-old midfielder completed the full 90 minutes, partnering Toni Payne and Jennifer Echegini as the Super Falcons began their Olympic qualification campaign with a comfortable advantage.
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Her composed display appears to have made a positive impression on Eguavoen, who confirmed that several players could get their opportunity when the teams meet again on Tuesday.
“I’m very pleased with Joy Igbokwe’s performance. Likewise, you might see some other players tomorrow. Performance-wise, the players have been very good,” Eguavoen said, per Complete Sports.
The coach also explained that the technical crew is looking to widen Nigeria’s pool of options as they prepare for increasingly demanding fixtures.
“Twenty-eight players were invited, and 27 are in camp, with about 14 first-time invitees. We’re trying to have a very big pool, so that when the games become tougher, we have maybe 40 players to draw from,” he added.
“It’s a good challenge for the coach when you have players in abundance and everyone is ready to play.”
Igbokwe’s emergence is an encouraging development for Nigeria’s midfield. The Nasarawa Amazons player previously captained the Falconets at under-20 level and earned recognition after being named in the Nigeria Women’s Football League Team of the Season.
Her senior call-up also marked a significant step after visa complications prevented her from travelling with the Falconets for the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland.
With Nigeria leading 2-0 on aggregate, the return fixture offers Igbokwe another opportunity to impress the coaching staff and strengthen her place in the senior setup.
The Super Falcons will be aiming to finish the job in Ikenne and secure progression to the third round, where Morocco await the winners of the tie.
