Nigeria stand-in captain Asisat Oshoala has attributed limited time to blend as a team for her side's below-par performance against Algeria on Tuesday.
The Super Falcons held a 2-0 first-leg lead over the North Africans in Bilda but they laboured to a 1-0 win in return leg to advance to the third round of the Olympic Games qualifiers in Lagos.
The triumph means the African champions will meet Cote d'Ivoire, who subdued Mali 3-0 on aggregate, in the next round of the qualifiers later in September.
The Barcelona star, who scored the winner at Agege Stadium, admitted they had a really difficult tie at home, while assuring they will put up a better showing to see off the Elephants.
"I just want to help my team to make sure we get a goal," Oshoala told Goal.
"I think that could have given us the confidence to get better, which we actually did but we were unlucky to get more goals.
"I think this was our first game together after the World Cup. It's being really difficult and it's not the whole team as we just had a couple of home-based players, with a few foreign players.
"For us to be together for just three days, I think it was not enough for us to put something out.
"I don't think there is anything like guarantee when it comes to football professionally because each team gets better every year.
"We just need to continue giving our best in subsequent games and make sure we work harder."
Nigeria missed the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Olympics, and Oshoala will hope to ensure Nigeria return in Tokyo next year.
