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Nigeria’s Flamingos set for tough Women’s  World Cup campaign

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The Flamingos at training in Goa on Sunday

The seventh edition of the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup finals begin in India on Tuesday, with Nigeria’s U17 girls, Flamingos saddled with one of the hardest nuts to crack, Germany, as their first opponents.

Both countries take to the Pandit Jawaharlal Stadium in Goa as from 8pm India time (4pm Nigeria time) in what is the second match of Group B, at the same time as hosts India take on USA at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar in what is the official opening match of the competition.

Earlier, as from 12.30pm Nigeria time, Nigeria’s group B opponents Chile and New Zealand will clash in Goa, while group A teams Morocco and Brazil also battle it out in Bhubaneswar.

The biennial competition for the world’s teenage girl-child, launched in New Zealand in 2008, did not take place in the year 2020 as a result of the global coronavirus pandemic.

At the last edition held in Uruguay in 2018, Germany scooped most of the individual honours, with Clàudia Pina emerging player of the tournament and Catalina Coll the best goalkeeper. Pina also shared the top scorer’s award with Ghana’s Mukarama Abdulai, with seven goals each.

Head Coach Bankole Olowookere assured on Monday that his girls know what they are up against at the Pandit Jawaharlal Stadium on Tuesday. “We are excited to be starting the tournament by playing against one of the strongest women teams in the universe. It is a good challenge because if you’re going to win trophies, you must beat the best teams.

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“Our focus is on getting the three points at stake, which will boost our confidence for the remaining games of the group phase and going forward in the competition.”

Nigeria must avoid the quicksands that sucked them in way back in their last appearance in 2016, when they lost 0-1 to Brazil, drew with England and then got trashed by eventual champions North Korea to crash out at group stage.

“Playing a strong team at the beginning should not present any apprehension. It is an opportunity to start with your best team and best tactics, and be vigilant to utilize the opportunities and possibilities that present themselves within the 90 minutes,” Olowookere added.

After a 10-day training camp in the Turkish city of Kocaeli, and a barnstorming African qualifying campaign that saw them winning five of six matches against Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt and Ethiopia, Olowokeere believes his Flamingos are ready for the big duels.

The DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai is the other venue that will host matches during the competition.

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After their first match of the campaign against Germany in Goa on Tuesday, Nigeria will take on 2018 World Cup bronze medallists New Zealand on Friday, 14th October also in Goa (as from 12.30pm), before flying to Bhubaneswar to take on Chile on Monday, 17th October (also as from 12.30pm).

Africa’s other representatives – Morocco and Tanzania – also have their work cut out, with Morocco playing hosts India, USA and Brazil in group A while Tanzania are up against Japan, Canada and France in group D.

Cup holders Spain head group C that also includes defending vice-champions Mexico, Colombia and China.

21 FLAMINGOS TO FLY NIGERIA’S FLAG IN INDIA:

Goalkeepers: Faith Omilana; Linda Jiwuaku; Jessica Inyiama

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Defenders: Olamide Oyinlola; Josephine Edafe; Comfort Folorunsho; Miracle Usani; Tumininu Adeshina; Blessing Sunday; Alase Attervall; Immaculata Offiong

Midfield: Chidera Okenwa; Blessing Emmanuel; Mary Aderemi; Bisola Mosaku; Taiwo Afolabi

Forward: Omowunmi Bello; Opeyemi Ajakaye; Edidiong Etim; Alvine Dah-Zossu; Yetunde Ayantosho

GROUP A: India, USA, Morocco, Brazil

GROUP B: Germany, Nigeria, Chile, New Zealand

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GROUP C: Spain, Colombia, Mexico, China

GROUP D: Japan, Tanzania, Canada, France

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.

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International Football

Former Brazil coach Tite taking break to take care of mental, physical health

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Brasileiro Championship - Gremio v Flamengo - Arena do Gremio, Porto Alegre, Brazil - September 22, 2024 Flamengo coach Tite REUTERS/Diego Vara/File Photo

Former Brazil coach Tite said he is taking an indefinite career break in order to take care of his mental and physical health.

The 63-year-old, who led Brazil to the 2019 Copa America title, was hospitalised due to a heart issue last August. He was sacked by Flamengo the following month and had most recently been linked with the Corinthians job.

“I realised that there are times when you have to understand that, as a human being, I can be vulnerable and admitting that will certainly make me stronger,” Tite said in a statement posted on his son Matheus Bachi’s Instagram on Tuesday.

“I’m passionate about what I do and I’ll continue to be so, but after talking to my family and observing the signals my body was giving off, I decided that the best thing to do now is to take a break from my career to look after myself for as long as it takes.

“As has become public, there was a conversation in progress with Corinthians, but it will have to be paralysed by a difficult but necessary decision.”

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Tite, who stepped down as Brazil coach after their quarter-final exit from the 2022 World Cup, has previously coached a string of Brazilian sides including Gremio, Atletico Mineiro and Palmeiras.

-Reuters

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Brazil sack coach Dorival after humiliating loss to Argentina

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World Cup - South American Qualifiers - Argentina v Brazil - Estadio Mas Monumental, Buenos Aires, Argentina - March 25, 2025 Brazil coach Dorival Junior is seen before the match REUTERS/Agustin Marcarian/File Photo

Brazil have sacked head coach Dorival Jr, the country’s football confederation (CBF) said on Friday after the five-time world champions were thrashed 4-1 away to fierce rivals Argentina in a humiliating qualifying loss in Buenos Aires.

The 62-year-old was appointed in January 2024 after the team spent a year under two caretaker coaches as the Brazilian FA were unable to lure Italian Carlo Ancelotti from Real Madrid.

“The Brazilian Football Confederation informs that coach Dorival Jr is no longer in charge of the Brazilian national team,” the confederation said in a statement.

“The management thanks (Dorival) and wishes him success in continuing his career … the CBF will work to find his replacement,” it added.

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Dorival was handed the job after his success with Flamengo in 2022 where he won the Copa Libertadores and Brazilian Cup, a trophy he lifted again the next year with Sao Paulo.

However, he never seemed to get to grips with the national team job and failed to earn the trust of Brazil’s demanding fans after winning only seven of his 16 games in charge.

Sources told Reuters the CBF was not confident in Dorival’s work, considering there had been little to no progress since a lacklustre Copa America campaign when Brazil were knocked out in the quarter-finals by Uruguay last year.

Still, the CBF was willing to wait and see until the 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Ecuador and Paraguay in June to reassess the situation following the end of the European season and the Club World Cup in the U.S. in June and July.

But after Brazil slumped to their heaviest-ever loss in a qualifier when they were thrashed by Argentina this week, CBF president Ednaldo Rodrigues decided to pull the trigger.

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Sources told Reuters Ancelotti was still the ideal candidate but he is under contract with Real until July 2026 and there is no indication he would leave the European and Spanish champions.

Brazilian media have reported that Al Hilal’s Portuguese coach Jorge Jesus is the favourite to replace Dorival.

Brazil have been in unfamiliar territory for over two years since crashing out of the 2022 World Cup against Croatia on penalties in the quarter-finals, a heartbreaking elimination that led to the exit of long-time manager Tite.

Their humbling defeat in Buenos Aires was the latest of a series of negative records Brazil have set under caretakers Ramon Menezes and Fernando Diniz and with Dorival in charge. They had never conceded four goals in a World Cup qualifier.

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Brazil are in the midst of their worst-ever World Cup qualifying campaign. They are fourth in the South American standings with 21 points, a point above sixth-placed Colombia who currently occupy the final direct qualifying berth.

Never have Brazil lost so many games, conceded so many goals or set so many negative records in the qualifying competition. They have lost five of their 14 games and conceded 16 goals.

Brazil’s 1-0 defeat by Argentina in the Maracana late in 2023 was their first-ever qualifying loss on home soil.

They also lost to Colombia for the first time, saw the end of their unbeaten run against Uruguay stretching back over two decades and were defeated by Morocco and Senegal, having never previously lost to an African nation.

-Reuters

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England’s German manager Tuchel will not sing the English anthem in his first game

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England manager Thomas Tuchel said he would have to “earn the right” to sing the national anthem, God Save the King, after announcing his 26-man squad on Friday ahead of the team’s World Cup qualifiers.

Tuchel, who was appointed as Gareth Southgate’s successor in October and named his first squad to face Albania and Latvia this month, said he would not sing the anthem in his first games in charge.

“It means a lot to me, I can assure you, but I can feel that because it is so meaningful and it is so emotional and it is so powerful, the national anthem, that I have to earn my right to sing it,” the 51-year-old German told a news conference.

Former caretaker manager Lee Carsley was criticised last year for not singing the anthem during his tenure.

However, Tuchel added that while he is proud to be in charge of the team and knows the words to the anthem, he plans to earn the right with results.

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“Maybe I have to dive more into the culture and earn my right from you, from the players, from the supporters, so everyone feels like ‘he should sing it now, he’s one of our own, he’s the English manager, he should sing it’,” he said.

-Reuters

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