Connect with us

AWCON

Behold, Super Falcons’ Group C opponents

blank

Published

on

blank
South Africa

As the Super Falcons hope for ‘La Décima’ – 10th record extension win in Morocco, they will first have to scale three group opponents. Below are the first opponents before largely and likely quarter-finals duel en route the final match.

South Africa’s Banyana Banyana

They are 57th ranked in the world as against Nigeria’s 39th position and first in Africa. 

They qualified for Morocco 2022 by making a perfect start to their journey with a 12-0 aggregate thrashing of COSAFA counterparts Mozambique in October. Five months later, they edged North African side Algeria 3-1 on aggregate to nick their 12th qualification ticket.

The four-time runners-up began preparation for the finals, with a friendly against the Netherlands in April. Despite losing 5-1 to the European champions, they exposed some domestic players and will converge again in June for the finals

Their coach, the 59 year old Desiree Ellis made history in 2018 when she guided Banyana Banyana to their fourth WAFCON final and the Women’s World Cup for the first time. The two-time CAF Women’s Coach of the Year will set her sights on breaking the African title jinx, after beating Nigeria to win the 2021 Aisah Buhari Cup.

The key players of Bayana Bayana include Janine Van Wyk. The 35-year-old is the most capped South Africa player, with over 170 appearances with the country.

Advertisement

She is back as a player-coach at her owned club JVW FC, having left Scottish side Glasgow City. With two silvers in six WAFCONs, Van Wyk will now aim to provide the much-needed leadership to win the first title on her seventh appearance.

There is also Thembi Kgatlana. The 25-year-old enjoyed a breakthrough tournament at the Ghana 2018 WAFCON where she won the Player of the Tournament and Topscorer awards.

She scored the 86th minute goal with which South Africa beat Nigeria in the opening match of the 2018 edition. She also made history as she scored Banyana Banyana’s first goal at the Women’s World Cup. The Atletico Madrid striker will aim to replicate her 2018 form in Banyana’s maiden African crown hunt.

Jermaine Seoposenwe is another player to watch. She is one of Banyana Banyana’s best performers abroad following her exploits with Sporting Braga this season. The 28-year-old has been influential in Braga’s Portuguese Women’s League Cup triumph and Women’s Cup semifinal finish, scoring eight goals and providing five assists. Despite her three-year absence from Banyana’s fold, her superb puts her in good stead to inspire the COSAFA giants.

Burundi‘s Swallows

blank
Burundi

When the Super Falcons line out against Swallows of Burundi,  on 10 July, it will be the first ever encounter of both teams. Falcons will attempt to swallow the Swallows who are unranked in the FIFA ratings.

They however have incredible journey to Morocco 2022 after a dream start of 6-0 defeat of Eritrea last October.  They followed up their fine start with a convincing second round 11-1 bashing of Djibouti to earn a maiden ticket.

Advertisement

Their coach, Gustave Niyonkuru has been overseeing the transition of women’s players, from the U20s to the senior level since 2019. Having guided the team to a historic WAFCON berth, his next task will be leading the nation to a maiden success.

Among the players to watch is Joelle Bukuru The midfielder starred for Swallows at the 2019 CECAFA Senior Women’s Challenge Cup, where they finished fourth. The 23-year-old, who currently championing Simba’s title hunt in Tanzania, will be one of the Burundians to keep an eye out for at the 12-nation event.

Another player of note is Rukiya Bizimana.The Etoile Du Matin forward was a huge bargain during the qualifying series, notably scoring four goals in two-legged triumphs over Djibouti in February. Her scoring exploits will offer huge prospect for debutant East African nation.

Botswana‘s The Mares

Botswana’s The Mares are currently ranked 154 in the world and number 29 in Africa.

On the road to Morocco 2022, The Mares brushed aside COSAFA rivals Angola 7-1 on aggregate in the first round before clinching their maiden qualification on away goals rule after a 3-3 aggregate score against Zimbabwe.

Advertisement
blank
Botswana

Botswana have began preparation domestically for the WAFCON finals, having held their one of their series of camps from April 2 to 14.

The 2020 COSAFA finalists are relying mostly on domestic players, especially from Double Action to excel at the continent showpiece.

The former Double Action captain has long been supervising the remodeling of the Mares as coach and validated her credentials with the team’s historic qualification to the WAFCON finals, where she will hope to make another mark.

Lesego Radiakanyo is the main player of the squad. The Double Action midfielder played a crucial role in the team’s qualification campaign, scoring four goals in four matches. The 22-year-old is clearly one to keep an eye out for when the Mares take to the continent in July.

Another player of note is Thuto Ramafifi. The 30-year-old, fondly called Queen of Goals, scored the winner at home when the Mares pipped Angola 2-0.

The former Double Action and New Endeavours striker, who is on a scholarship in the US, will be poised to bring her exposure and experience to bear at the WAFCON finals.

Advertisement

Refilwe Tholakele, The Mares’ striker cannot be ignored.  She has consistently provided a good leadership in almost a decade and being a huge bargain in the attack.

The 26-year-old, also made her mark during the qualifiers, scoring three goals in four matches and her presence will be a valuable asset for Botswana in Morocco.

Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

Continue Reading
Advertisement

AWCON

Nigeria’s Falcons have biggest drop by points in world ranking

blank

Published

on

blank
Super Falcons

BY KUNLE SOLAJA.

Dropping a whopping 69.33 points in the current FIFA rankings, Nigeria’s Super Falcons are adjudged as the team with the biggest drop by points.

Though they remain the first in Africa, their global ranking slumped from 39 in on 17 June to 47 on 5 August.

Their slump could be linked to the performances at the last month’s Women’s Africa Cup of Nations where they played six matches and won just three, a far cry from their previous outings.

They could not also make a podium appearance. Their conquerors in the bronze medal match, Zambia are adjudged to have both the biggest move by points and also by rank when they moved 23 places up the ladder to 80th position.

Winners of WAFCON, South Africa also have impressive move from 58th in the world to 54th.

Advertisement

In Africa, the African queens moved from third position to second.

At global level, US still remain on top in a ranling that took into consideration 221 matches played since 17 June.

Continue Reading

AWCON

Super Falcons Ohale and Ajibade make Women’s AFCON 2022 Best XI

blank

Published

on

blank

CAF has released the Best XI of the 2022  Women’s Africa Cup of Nations following the completion of the history-making tournament in Morocco.

This compilation of players by members of CAF’s Technical Study Group (TSG) brings together the best performers in each position over the last three weeks.

South Africa’s custodian Andile Dlamini, who was named the Best Goalkeeper of the Tournament for her role in guiding Banyana Banyana to victory, starts between the posts. Dlamini kept three clean sheets in the six games her side played and was a leader on and off the pitch.

In a four-woman defensive setup, South Africa’s Bambanani Mbane partners Osinachi Ohale of Nigeria in an enviable pairing that would make many a forward sweat to find the back of the net. Both strong in character provided a protection role for their teams consistently throughout the tournament.

At right back, Zambia’s Margaret Belemu and Zineb Redouani of Morocco who are lethal with and without the ball complete the defense line.

In front of this defensive lineup is the captains’ midfield with Morocco’s Ghizlane Chebbak partnering Grace Chanda from Zambia and Jane Refiloe from South Africa.

Advertisement

The three captains bring a touch of class, an understanding of the game and passing abilities that have the power to change the course and destiny of a game. All three have been nicknamed “conductors”. They take charge and control the ball and make it do as they please. That mastery stood out all tournament – consistently.

Chebbak who was named as the Player of the Tournament was also joint top scorer with three goals.

To complete the fancy 4-3-3 formation, Nigeria’s Rasheedat Ajibade ‘the Blue Haired Girl” also joint top scorer of the tournament with three goals comes in on the right side while Moroccan Fatima Tagnaout brings quality on the left wing and to spice things up, in comes South Africa’s Jermaine Seoposenwe up front to lead the line.

Pace, quick decision-making and an eye for goal is what makes this trio special. With supply from the midfield maestros, scoring goals is as easy as pie.

This 4-3-3 lineup would destroy any opposition in front of them and produce a memorable display of football.

Advertisement

-Cafonline

Continue Reading

AWCON

NFF congratulates Ajibade, Mimi Calvin-Onwuka

blank

Published

on

blank

The Nigeria Football Federation has congratulated Super Falcons’ forward Rasheedat Ajibade for emerging as joint top-scorer of the just-ended 12th Women Africa Cup of Nations finals in Morocco, where the Super Falcons earned a ticket to the FIFA World Cup finals even as the team failed to realize its ambition of a 10th triumph.

NFF General Secretary, Dr Mohammed Sanusi said: “We rejoice with Rahseedat Ajibade for her emergence as joint top-scorer of the tournament and we implore her to continue to show even more prolificity and commitment in the jerseys of club and country. Her three goals surely helped the Super Falcons to win a World Cup ticket. Our team would certainly have been in the Final if not for the incident that led to her expulsion in the semi final match against the host nation.

“She probably would have won the award outright if she finished the game and played one more match.”

Ajibade was ejected after 70 minutes of the semi final against Morocco at the Complexe Prince Moulay Abdellah, with Nigeria already one woman down, and the Falcons played the next 50 minutes (of regulation and extra time) with only nine players, losing in the ensuing penalty shoot-out.

In the third-place match against Zambia on Friday, a fierce shot by Evarine Suzeni Katongo in the 28th minute struck the upright and bounced on the back of hardworking goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie for the only goal of the match, with the Falcons failing to convert any of a slew of chances they created.

Sanusi also congratulated Mimisen Calvin-Onwuka, who played the role of Assistant Referee 1 in the Final match between Morocco and South Africa on Saturday, saying her stellar performance alongside referee Salima Mukansanga from Rwanda did not go unnoticed by the global football community. He urged her to continue to develop herself with available top-level courses and programmes in order to continue her rise to global reckoning.

Advertisement

Meanwhile, Nigeria’s U20 girls, Falconets have continued their preparations for next month’s FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup finals scheduled for Costa Rica. The girls, who have been training in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja will depart for a one-week training tour in Barranquilla, Colombia, from where the delegation will fly into San Jose for the finals slated for 10th – 28th August.  

Continue Reading

Most Viewed