Nigeria and Zambia senior women national teams will
avail each other with a stern examination of credentials on Friday, in one of
the most-anticipated Women Africa Cup of Nations matches in the history of the
competition.
Nine-time champions Nigeria spent the better part of
the noughties and the last decade riding roughshod over continental opposition,
but the terrain-walk is no longer a cakewalk as teams like South Africa,
Morocco and Zambia, especially in the last four years, have grown in strength,
confidence and general organization.
South Africa are the Cup holders, turning the dream of
Morocco’s Atlas Lionesses to ashes in the 2022 Final, after defeating the Super
Falcons in their first match of the competition, and taking out the energetic
Zambians in the semi finals.
Morocco edged the Super Falcons on penalties in the
2022 semi-final, condemning the nine-time winners to the bronze-medal match,
after a 1-1 draw in regulation time.
Zambia’s Copper Queens, victimized 6-0 in a group
phase match in Namibia in 2014 and 4-0 in another group phase match in Ghana in
2018 by the Super Falcons, bumped Nigeria in the bronze medal-match in Morocco
three years ago.
The African women football realm has continued to
admit more ambitious sides to the top table, with Senegal, Algeria and Mali not
far behind. Although Ghana’s Black Queens have failed to live up to their
promise of earlier decades (they were runners-up when Nigeria hosted the
tournament’s first edition in 1998), they have now made it through to the
quarter-finals this time and should not be discountenanced.
The encounter between Nigeria and Zambia, at the Larbi
Zaouli Stadium in Casablanca on Friday, promises more than just fireworks.
There could be lightning and thunder – the type that can happen when two
ambitious squads clash and fight to their full capacity.
Nigeria captain Rasheedat Ajibade and Saudi
Arabia-based defender Ashleigh Plumptre were selected as part of the Best XI of
the group stage, just as Zambia’s trio of Lushomo Mweemba, Barbra Banda and
Rachael Kundananji. Others are Algeria’s goalkeeper Chloe N’gazi-Boumrar, South
Africa’s Bambanani Mbane, Fikile Magama and Refiloe Jane, Senegal’s Nguenar
Ndiaye and Morocco captain Ghizlane Chebbak.
Coach of Nigeria, Justine Madugu, said: “We have our
strategies; we have watched them severally and we know what they can do. We’ll
work on how to neutralize their strength, so we’re not too bothered by the
individual players. We know how good they are, but we’re not bothered. We are
getting ready for each game, and we’ll have an antidote on the matchday.”
His opposite number on the Zambia bench, Nora Häuptle,
stated: “We are in a comfortable position with five rest days now. It’s a
chance to recover, refresh and observe closely. Whoever we face, we will be
ready. If you want to reach the Final and win this tournament, you need to beat
everyone.”
The statements by the two coaches underscore the
importance of this one game that is already being marked down as one of the
defining moments of the Women Africa Cup of Nations, with both nations and
their motivated stars ready to bring their ‘A’ game to the table.
Nigeria’s Minister of State for Education, Professor
Suwaiba Said Ahmad, and the Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative
Economy, Hajia Hannatu Musa Musawa, have added their voices to the groundswell
of support and motivation for the Super Falcons ahead of the big clash.
The Super Falcons will welcome back midfield ace
Deborah Abiodun, suspended for the clash with the Algerians on Sunday, while
the spirited Esther Okoronkwo could start for the first time in the tournament
alongside the calm but efficient Jennifer Echegini.
There appears to be no easy road ahead again as the
winner between Nigeria and Zambia will have to square up to the challenge of
Cup holders South Africa or perhaps the exciting Senegalese ladies in Tuesday’s
semi finals.
PHOTO 1: Esther Okoronkwo and Ashleigh
Plumptre at training on Tuesday.
PHOTO 2: The Super Falcons at training on
Tuesday.
NFF finalizes
arrangements as Coach Educators’ programme kicks off on Thursday
The Nigeria
Football Federation has concluded all arrangements for the CAF Educators’
Course that will commence on Thursday and end on 25th June
2025.
“This programme is
part of our quest to increase the number of CAF-Licensed Coach Educators across
the length and breadth of Nigeria. We have selected a total of 15 participants.
All those selected have met the requirements as stated in our public notice
three months ago. These are people who possess the minimum of CAF B-License,
are proficient in the English language, have a teaching background, are
passionate in helping other coaches and have competence in computer software
such as PowerPoint, Excel and Word,” NFF Technical Director, Coach Augustine
Eguavoen told thenff.com.
Eguavoen also
disclosed to thenff.com that
the opening ceremony of the nine-day course will hold on Thursday at the
NFF/FIFA Goal Project facility at the Package B of the MKO Abiola National
Stadium, Abuja.
Among the 15
persons that will undertake the programme are former Super Falcons’ Head Coach,
Christopher Danjuma; former Nigeria international defender and one-time Head
Coach of the 5-A-Side National Team, Oladuni Oyekale; former Super Falcons’
assistant coach Adanna Nwaneri; highly-respected tactician Hakeem Busari Ishola
and; Italy-based Felix Evodi.
