Head Coach Justine
Madugu on Tuesday expressed his delight that all 25 invited players are already
in camp as the team prepared for its first training session at the Mobolaji
Johnson Arena, ahead of the two international friendly matches against the senior
women national team of Algeria.
“I am very happy that
all the invited players are here. We will be able to have four days of full
training sessions and be in great shape for the first game. We thank the
Nigeria Football Federation for arranging these two games for the Super
Falcons.”
However, the heavy
downpour in Lagos on Tuesday made the training session impossible, with the
team having to return to Eko Hotel & Towers for gym sessions.
The nine-time African
champions will take on the Algerian girls at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena on
Saturday, 26th October, and again at the same venue on Tuesday,
29th October. Both matches will kick off at 4pm.
A 35-woman Algerian
delegation is scheduled to arrive in Nigeria on Thursday morning, aboarda Qatar
Airways flight, with the match officials from Benin Republic also scheduled to
arrive in Lagos same day.
The Beninoise quartet
of Aurore Christine Ligan, Nafissatou Yekini Shitou, Sonia Emilie Louis and
Laurande Offin will take charge of the two matches, with Ligan serving as
referee for the first match with Offin as fourth official, while Offin will be
at the centre for the second match with Ligan in the role of fourth official.
The Nigeria Football
Federation will appoint a match commissioner for each of the games.
SUPER FALCONS TO PLAY
ALGERIA
Goalkeepers: Chiamaka Nnadozie
(Paris FC, France); Monle Oyono (Edo Queens); Rachael Unachukwu (Nasarawa
Amazons)
Defenders: Chidinma Okeke (Club
America, Mexico); Oluwatosin Demehin (Galatasaray Sportive FC, Turkey); Miracle
Usani (Edo Queens); Florence Alexander (Bayelsa Queens); Blessing Ilivieda (Edo
Queens); Sikiratu Isa (Nasarawa Amazons); Comfort Folorunsho (Edo Queens);
Tessy Ojiyovwi (Nasarawa Amazons); Chidinma Ogbuchi (FC Robo Queens)
Midfielders: Rasheedat Ajibade
(Atletico Madrid, Spain); Esther Onyenezide (Hapoel Katamon, Israel); Shukurat
Oladipo (FC Robo Queens); Chioma Olise (Edo Queens); Josephine Matthias
(Nasarawa Amazons); Amarachi Odoma (Edo Queens)
Forwards: Gift Monday (UDG
Tenerife, Spain); Goodness Osigwe (Edo Queens); Janet Akekoromowei (Nasarawa
Amazons); Delight Nwosu (Bayelsa Queens); Folashade Ijamilusi (Edo Queens);
Mercy Omokwo (Bayelsa Queens); Olamide Bolaji (Remo Stars Ladies)
PHOTO: Super Falcons
on their way to training at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena on Tuesday.
WAFU B U20
Championship: Flying Eagles set to fly over Elephants
Cup holders Nigeria
know they must attain a different shape and be at their very best when they
confront the Young Elephants of Cote d’Ivoire on Thursday, if they are not to
exit this year’s WAFU B U20 Championship at the group stage.
The seven-time African
champions fell by a lone goal to Burkina Faso’s Young Etalons on Friday and
their route to the last four has been made tougher by the Etalons’ lone-goal
reverse against the Elephants two days ago.
The intricacies of a
three-team group have fully come to the fore, with each team having to play
only two matches, and a single loss meaning that a team could be on the way out
of a tournament.
With the Ivorians and
the Burkinabes tied at the top of the pile, Nigeria must win by two clear goals
against the Ivorians to be sure of a place in the semi-finals, and the
opportunity to keep pushing to defend her crown.
President of Nigeria
Football Federation, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau, who watched the Flying Eagles
lose to a second-half goal on Friday, expressed hope that the team re-invents
itself and delivers the goods against the Ivorians.
“I am not happy about
the result. We expected a win and the three points, particularly as they are in
a three-team group which can be delicate. However, I believe the coaches and
the players will sit up and come up with a strategy to overcome the Ivorians.
“Nigerians are
expecting so much from the team. As defending champions, it will not be good
for us not to qualify for the U20 AFCON, having reached the quarter-finals at
the FIFA World Cup last year.”
Thursday’s encounter
at the Municipal Stadium, Lome will commence at 4pm Nigeria time.
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