By Oluwashina Okeleji BBC Sport, Lagos

Mercy Akide will be a key player for Nigeria at Athens

Nigeria's Super Falcons are the benchmark for women's football in Africa, having qualified for every World Cup finals to date.

Women's Olympic football, unlike the men's event, is not subject to age restrictions.

It was introduced in Atlanta 1996 and Nigeria were the first African side at the games in Sydney 2000.

The Super Falcons have a good chance of making the quarter-finals with only two sides being eliminated after the group stages.

The ten teams are split into two groups of three and one of four, with Nigeria in the same group as Japan and Sweden.

Despite their dominance in recent years this time they were made to work for their place in Athens by first Ghana in the semi-finals and then South Africa in the final.

The match against Ghana was eventually settled by penalties while they won the two-legged final against Banyana Banyana 3-2 on aggregate.

Coach Ismaila Mabo and his side put those lack lustre performances to one side two weeks after clinching their Athens place with a sensational 3-0 win over England in London.

That victory came thanks to strikes from captain Rita Nwadike and a brace from free-scoring Perpetual Nkwocha.

The Falcons' next friendly was during a training camp in July in Germany where they lost 3-1 to their hosts, who are also the reigning world champions.

Mabo told BBC Sport that he and his team took some confidence from the defeat.

Nigeria's women's team are in a group with Japan and Sweden

"That we could only lose 3-1 to Germany shows that we've closed a big gap that has always been there when we play the likes of Germany, United States, Sweden and Norway," he said.

"In the past, we would have lost by a bigger margin but now is the time for my girls to show the world what they are capable of doing."

The side have however been hit by the loss of Florence Omagbemi but her injury could be Faith Ikidi's gain, with the versatile youngster blessed with immense pace taking her place.

The squad includes the experienced quartet of Nwadike, Stella Mbachu, Maureen Mmadu and Mercy Akide, all of whom are out to prove a point at this stage of their careers.

Akide has come under criticism from the local media for her recent lack of goals but Mabo continues to keep faith in the former African footballer of the year.

In June the US-based star boosted her confidence by notching the winner for a Fifa All Star side as they defeated world champions Germany 3-2 in a friendly match to celebrate Fifa's centenary anniversary.

"We've never been this focused and determined, and most of the girls understand what is at stake as it could be their last major tournament," Akide said.

As well as Nkwocha, the Falcons will also look to pint-sized Vera 'Ekwi' Okolo to score the goals for them.

Ekwi stands at 5'4 but what she lacks in height, she makes up for by her goal-scoring knack that has endeared her to fans back home.

She is also confident that they can make it past the group stages.