The Super Falcons will be missing the mercurial services of golden girl, Asisat Oshoala, when they face Equatorial Guinea in a 2016 Olympic qualifying match.
Oshoala, who plays her football in England for Liverpool Ladies, is reported to be out with an injury, according to the BBC.
The current African Women’s Player of the Year, missed the first leg which ended 1-1 in Abuja with the same problem and is not expected to recover before the return leg on August 2.
“It’s the spine of your team – your central midfielder, your centre-back and your centre-forward – but it’s one of those things,” Beard told the BBC.
“They’re important players to us but it’s going to give maybe one or two of the younger players an opportunity.
“We’ll do as much as we can, while we’re still involved in everything mathematically, to finish as high as we can.”