International Football
DESPITE BEING LEFT OUT, NIGERIA’S ONOME EYES TOKYO 2020
Despite being left out of the squad, veteran and decorated Nigeria defender, Onome Ebi, is confident the Super Falcons can overcome their Ivorian counterparts in the third round of the qualifying series to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
Record nine-time African champions, Nigeria, are seeking a return to the quadrennial event since their last appearance in 2008 in Beijing, which Ebi, then 25-years old featured.
However, they will have to overcome the Ivorian hurdle in a back-to-back encounter to reach the penultimate round of the qualifiers.
The first leg is due for Abidjan on Thursday and the return match in Lagos on Monday.
Now 36, Ebi who hit the milestone last July as the first African to play in five FIFA World Cups following her appearances at the 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015 and 2019 editions of the FIFA Women’s World Cup, believes her storied career would further get a facelift if she can eventually make her second appearance at the Olympic next year in Tokyo at the twilight of her career.
“As a footballer, you have to be ready for big games such as the upcoming match against Cote d’Ivoire.
“We (Super Falcons) know that this fixture is going to be tough,” the China-based Ebi who was not selected by caretaker coach Chris Danjuma for the crunch encounter against Cote d’Ivoire, told CAFOnline.com
Despite being left of the squad for the Ivorian two-legged affair, Ebi will be following with keen interest as she keeps her eyes on her dream of playing at yet another Olympics.
“We have worked hard to reach this round and we must be ready to put everything into the games against Cote d’Ivoire because victory will take us a step closer to Tokyo.”
Though Nigeria failed to progress to the knockout stages from a tough group in 2008 after losing all the three preliminary matches to Brazil, Germany and North Korea, Ebi is still nostalgic about her first Olympic experience in the Far East.
“It was definitely a great feeling to have played at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. Apart from the opportunity of playing against top stars from around the world, it was also an opportunity to meet top starts from different sports,” noted the famous lady at the heart of the Nigerian defence, currently with Henan Huishang in the Chinese Women’s Super League.
“It was also a special experience for me relating with stars from different countries at the Games Village and this is something I will like to experience again with the Super Falcons in Tokyo.”
Undoubtedly, Ebi is one of the most experienced players to have donned the Super Falcons shirt with varied experiences with clubs in Sweden, Turkey and Belarus where she was decorated with the Belarusian Women’s Premier League, the Belarusian Women’s Cup and the Belarusian Women’s Super Cup twice.
At the continental level, Ebi has also been one of the pillars of the Super Falcons and has been at every edition of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations since 2008, and winning the title on four occasions – 2010, 2014, 2016 and 2018.
“One of the best moments of my career was winning the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations title for the first time in 2010. The second thing that came close to that happened at the last FIFA Women’s World Cup in France where I became the first player to appear in five FIFA World Cups and I feel so honoured.”
Incidentally, Ebi was honoured in April as Nigeria Women’s Player of the Year ahead of her pals Asisat Oshoala and Francisca Ordega and opined that her steadfastness coupled with penchant to sleep deeply before strutting her stuff on the pitch have accounted largely for her career’s longevity.
“I would say football chose me but my parents did not want me to play football initially,” revealed Ebi who was audacious to pick herself and Argentine legend, LioneMessi as her favourite footballers.
“But I had to proof to my parents that I could combine playing football with my education by ensuring I had good grades in my studies; and they had no choice than to support me love for football.
“Of course, other things that have kept me going is that I try to eat healthy train well; stayed focus; mind my business and the most important thing is that I tried to get enough rest by ensuring that I sleep very well playing any match.”
Going forward, Ebi who made name with Omidiran Babes and Bayelsa Queens on the Nigerian domestic scene before travelling abroad in 2009 to join Pitea IF in Sweden’s Damallsvenskan, said Nigerian women’s football needed retooling for the country to maintain her prominence on the continent.
“I think the standard of women football in Nigeria is getting better,” she affirmed.
“But we can’t compare such standard with what we have outside the country; I’m looking forward to establishing a foundation to help younger ones to be exposed to better ways of playing the game.”
Fixtures
Third Round First Leg
Wednesday
- Lusaka – Zambia vs Botswana
Thursday
- Abidjan – Cote d’Ivoire vs Nigeria
- Yaounde – Cameroon vs DR Congo
Friday
- Accra – Ghana vs Kenya
Third Round Second Leg
Monday
- Lagos – Nigeria vs Cote d’Ivoire
Tuesday
- Kinshasa – DR Congo vs Cameroon
- Nairoboi – Kenya vs Ghana
- Francistown – Botswana vs Kenya
– CAF
Nigeria’s Super Eagles were held to a 2-2 draw by FIFA World Cup-bound Jordan in an eventful international friendly in Antalya on Tuesday night, with the contest overshadowed by a late red card to Alex Iwobi.
Iwobi, making his 98th appearance for the national team, was sent off in the closing stages, capping a dramatic encounter in which Nigeria surrendered a first-half lead and finished the game with ten men.
The match, played at the Mardan Sports Complex, brought Nigeria’s March international window to a close, but it proved anything but routine as both sides delivered a fiercely contested and entertaining clash.
Jordan, ranked 64th in the world and enjoying strong recent form, struck first in the 17th minute through Mousa Tamari. A well-worked free-kick routine caught the Nigerian defence napping, allowing the forward to fire home the opener.
Nigeria responded quickly and thought they had equalised six minutes later when Raphael Onyedika finished from a Moses Simon cut-back, but the goal was controversially ruled out.
The Super Eagles eventually drew level in the 30th minute. Stand-in captain Moses Simon, earning his 97th cap, reacted fastest after Ademola Lookman’s effort was blocked, slotting home with a composed left-footed finish for his second goal in as many matches.
Nigeria went ahead four minutes before halftime when Bright Osayi-Samuel’s pinpoint cross found debutant Emmanuel Fernandez, who showed great composure to control and finish, giving the three-time African champions a 2-1 lead at the interval.
The second half took on a more physical tone, with goalkeeper Francis Uzoho forced off in the 57th minute after sustaining an injury while clearing the ball. Adebayo Adeleye replaced him between the posts.
Head coach Eric Chelle introduced Wilfred Ndidi and Alex Iwobi to shore up the midfield, but Jordan continued to press and were rewarded with an equaliser in the 77th minute.
Nigeria pushed for a winner late on, handing a senior debut to Philip Otele, while Samuel Chukwueze came on for Moses Simon. However, the closing moments were marred by Iwobi’s dismissal, leaving the Super Eagles to see out the match with ten men.
Despite the draw, the encounter offered valuable insights for the coaching crew as Nigeria continues preparations for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
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By Kunle Solaja
Match Context
- Fixture: Jordan vs Nigeria
- Venue: Antalya, Turkey
- Occasion: Four-Nation Invitational Tournament
- Kick-off: Tuesday (evening)
They would have loved facing Jamaica in Mexico today for a place at the World Cup, but fate has other plans, and Nigeria’s Super Eagles will be taking on World Cup debutants Jordan in a friendly match instead in Turkey.
The encounter promises to be a revealing contest for both sides as preparations intensify for future global assignments.
The encounter, staged as part of a four-nation tournament in Turkey, will be the third meeting between the two countries, with the head-to-head record finely poised.
History Beckons in Third Meeting
Nigeria claimed a 2-0 victory in their first clash at the National Stadium, Lagos, on 28 April 2004 during the LG Cup.
However, the tables turned in 2013 when a largely experimental Nigerian side under the late Stephen Keshi suffered a 1-0 defeat in Amman, courtesy of a Hatem Aqel penalty.
This latest meeting now serves as the decider in what has quietly become a balanced rivalry.
Jordan arrive in buoyant mood, riding on the crest of a historic achievement, which is their first-ever qualification for the FIFA World Cup (2026).
Jordan’s Al-Nashama
Their recent form underlines a team growing in confidence and tactical discipline. In the past months, Al-Nashama have:
- Held Russia (0-0)
- Defeated Dominican Republic (3-0)
- Drawn with Mali (0-0)
- Narrowly lost to Bolivia (1-0) and Albania (4-2)
- Pushed Tunisia (3-2 loss) in a competitive encounter
They also opened this invitational tournament with a 2-2 draw against Costa Rica, further evidence of their resilience.
The team’s preparations have been boosted by a morale-lifting visit from Prince Ali bin Al-Hussein, President of the Jordan Football Association, during their Antalya training camp.
Coach Jamal Al-Salami has deliberately scheduled matches against Nigeria and Costa Rica, citing their stylistic similarity to World Cup opponents such as Argentina, Austria, and Algeria.
Despite missing several key players, including star forward Mousa Ta’mari, Jordan have continued to show depth, blending senior players with youth prospects as part of a broader developmental strategy.
Nigeria head into the clash with renewed confidence after a 2-1 victory over Iran in their opening game of the tournament, with goals from Moses Simon and Akor Adams.
Unlike previous meetings, the Super Eagles are expected to field a full-strength squad, packed with Europe-based stars, something Jordanian observers have already described as a “heavyweight challenge.”
The squad boasts a blend of experience and attacking flair.
The presence of multiple attacking options gives Nigeria a clear edge going forward, while their physicality and pace could pose serious problems for the Jordanians.
Jordan are expected to adopt a compact, disciplined shape, relying on quick transitions and defensive organisation, qualities that earned them results against stronger opposition in recent friendlies.
Nigeria, by contrast, will likely dominate possession, using width and individual brilliance to break down Jordan’s defensive lines.
The key battle may lie in midfield, where Jordan’s structure will be tested against Nigeria’s blend of strength, technique, and tempo.
For Jordan, this is another step in fine-tuning a squad preparing for its historic World Cup debut—a chance to measure themselves against elite opposition.
For Nigeria, it is an opportunity to assert authority, build cohesion among its star-studded squad, and maintain momentum ahead of more competitive fixtures.
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A clash of kit colours caused confusion for players and made it difficult for fans watching on TV to tell the teams apart as World Cup co-hosts, the U.S., were accused of being responsible for a mix-up in a 5-2 friendly defeat by Belgium on Saturday.
Both teams used the match to launch the new kit they will wear at the June 11 to July 19 World Cup, which is also being held in Canada and Mexico.
The U.S. sported a design that pulls directly from the red and white stripes in the American flag, while Belgium wore their away kit, which was light blue with pink accents.
“Sometimes you had to look twice, especially if you wanted to play quickly,” Belgian winger Jeremy Doku told his national television afterwards. “I would have preferred clearer colours.”
American captain Christian Pulisic said it was difficult to deal with.
“A lot of times you get the ball, and you look up, you can’t really lock in on something. You can only base it on the colour of the shirt. That’s how it works,” he told reporters. “And when it’s very similar, it’s difficult.”
Belgian television apologised to viewers after the match, with analyst and former Belgian international Marc Degryse criticising organisers.
“Football is a product that needs to be sold. Everything always has to be better and better, yet they still managed to make the match annoying with the jerseys,” he said.
“This goes completely against the whole commercial aspect. This is really unacceptable.”
US Soccer said pictures of both jerseys were sent to match referees before the match, and at no time did they indicate they felt there was a conflict.
Belgian media said on Sunday the fault lay with the hosts, who insisted on playing in their new red and white jerseys, which clashed with both Belgium’s first-choice red strip and also the lighter away kit.
Both countries wanted to unveil their new jerseys for the first time, but after becoming aware of the situation, Belgium proposed to play in their traditional red, the reports said.
However, that was not an option because the U.S. shirt also contains a lot of red. One solution could have been for the U.S. to play in their dark blue kit, but that did not fit into their commercial plan, the reports added.
-Reuters
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