Super Falcons mobile defender Michelle Alozie is confident her success on the Nigerian national team will have an impact on her club performances as she returns to team up with the Texas based Houston Dash. The female team plays in the United States National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL). Michelle Alozie is confident her success on the Nigerian national team will rub off on the Houston Dash after adding the African title to her haul. Alozie added a new title to her résumé this summer in addition to playing professional soccer for the Houston Dash and the Nigeria national team and studying pediatric leukemia as a researcher for Texas Children’s Hospital. Tagged the Women’s African Cup of Nations (WAFCON, It is the biggest tournament for Women’s football in the continent Alozie and Nigeria successfully accomplished their “Mission X” as it was dubbed by the Nigerian FA and won a record 10th WAFCON trophy since the contest’s current format was established in 1998. Back to Houston On returning to join her teammates, at Houston Dash, she said: “We wanted to make history for all of women’s football. No team in women’s football has ever won a championship as many times as we have won this one. It wasn’t just Nigerian history or African history, its world history. We really bought into it as a team, and thankfully we were able to complete the mission.” After Nigeria finished fourth in her cup debut in 2022, Alozie said winning it is much sweeter this time around. “It meant everything to me,” she said. “Everyone who came back from that 2022 team kind of treated this like a revenge tour and to do it with the group we had, which had so many players making their debuts was special. I’m just happy and blessed to have been a part of such a special team.” Africa Best XI The 28-year-old earned a place in the tournament’s Best XI for her performance along with three of her fellow Super Falcons. “It was a blessing to be named in the Best XI,” she said. “It showed how well my team and I had performed all tournament, especially in the knockout stages and how dominant we were. How we were able to play so cohesively as a team that so many players were also able to get individual honors like that.” Alozie said she’s leaving the tournament with a lot of memories, but chief among them is the goal she scored to beat rival South Africa in the semifinal and send Nigeria to the final against hosts Morocco. My goal was a fluke “It was funny because my goal wasn’t really a shot at all, just kind of a lofted ball that went in,” she said. “A little bit of a fluke goal, not going to lie, but I’m just glad I was able to get us into the final with it.” The final against Morocco will hold a special place in her heart as well, as it served as the culmination of the team’s hard work and completion of its mission. “It was the highlight of the revenge tour,” she said. “To beat Morocco in the final, how we did after they beat us in the semifinal of the last tournament, and in Morocco, was amazing. To be down 2-0 at halftime, then how we score three goals in the second half to win, it was the best.” Houston fans Her success with the Nigerian national team has resonated on a deeper level during her time in Houston, which she considers a second home. Read Also: WAFCON 2024: Ajibade, Alozie, Nnadozie, Okoronkwo named in Best XI “With the large Nigerian community here, including some of my own family, it’s been so amazing to have so many Nigerian people rooting for me here when I go to the national team,” she said. “It gives me an extra reason to fight a little harder for Nigerians here and everywhere.” Now returning to a Dash team that finds itself in 12th place out the league’s 14 teams, Alozie looks to bring some of the confidence she gained with Nigeria back to Houston to aid in its playoff push. “I think when you come off these long breaks in the season, it helps you come back with so much confidence and energy and fight,” she said. The Dash are seven points out of the final playoff spot in their first season under coach Fabrice Gautrat. Alozie said her success at the international level will help the team in their battle for the postseason. “It’s all about regrouping for us and realizing that our goal of making the playoffs is still very much in sight and feasible,” she said. “We didn’t have the start to the year that we wanted, but I think we’re on a good trajectory and what we’re building is good. We knew it wasn’t going to be easy, but I think what we’re building will start to show up during the second half of the season so we can get results and make this push to the playoffs,” Alozie added.