WOMEN'S FOOTBALL
Nigeria’s Super Falcons brace-up for hosts, Australia’s Matildas’ challenge
It is the day after an impressive opener to their latest FIFA World Cup campaign and the Super Falcons are already looking forward to their second match of the big showpiece against co-host nation Australia at Brisbane’s Lang Park on Thursday.
Chiamaka Nnadozie is the big name on everyone’s lips in Brisbane and even as the locals shout to you across the parks “we shall be there, no worries”, once they notice you’re a Nigerian, they still mutter under their breath: “You’ve got a great goalkeeper.”
With captain Onome Ebi left on the substitutes bench, Coach Randy Waldrum handed the captain’s armband to the calm goal-tender, and she justified the confidence with a sterling performance, including a double save from iconic Christine Sinclair’s penalty kick five minutes into the second period.
Now back in Queensland, following the feat that left scrambled eggs on the faces of bookmakers, the nine-time African champions are looking forward to what would certainly be a most interesting encounter with the Matildas.
“We are in very high spirits, I can tell you,” Ebi told thenff.com on the team’s return to Brisbane. “It is the day after that massive point and we are already looking forward to our second match. The Aussies will not be easy, but we knew before arriving in Australia that no team at this tournament will be easy.”
The players were given the day off on Saturday, and only loosened up from the encounter that stunned the North Americans.
Even as ever-present Nigeria got a point off the Olympic champions in Melbourne, the Super Falcons still have a number of top performers in their ranks who have not tasted action, and are eager to do the business.
Midfielders Christy Ucheibe and Deborah Abiodun were massive in the early afternoon at the Rectangular, but suspended regulars Rasheedat Ajibade and Halimatu Ayinde are now available for selection, and the versatile Jennifer Echegini and strong forward Desire Oparanozie are also keen to get in on the beat.
“It is a tournament and we have decided to take it one game at a time. We have to go back and correct certain lapses, like how to convert our opportunities. We cannot afford to miss good chances any longer,” defender Osinachi Ohale said at the mixed zone in Melbourne.
Nigeria will square up to the Aussies at the Lang Park Stadium on Thursday (from 11am Nigeria time) with the arena expected to be filled to its 52,000 -capacity.
Despite wintry conditions in Blida, on the outskirts of the Algerian capital, Algiers, Nigeria’s U17 girls dug their feet into the ground on Friday night.
They achieved a scoreless draw that qualified them for this year’s FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup finals.
Holding on to a 4-0 first-leg advantage, the 2002 bronze medallists adopted a calm and collected pattern that easily soaked up the expected pressure from the hosts and then relied on fast breaks to try and pull the trigger on their opponents.
Although they created better chances on the night, the Flamingos failed to make dominance in possession pay, but swiftly collected the ticket to Morocco on a 4-0 aggregate win.
The difference over two legs of the final round was a remarkable display in the opening leg by the Flamingos, during which a brace by Queen Joseph and one each by Zainab Raji and substitute Aisha Animashaun ensured a 4-0 win.
The Flamingos will now be one of Africa’s five representatives (including hosts Morocco) at this year’s FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup finals taking place from 17th October – 5th November. The final competition will entertain 24 teams for the very first time.
Since the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup competition was launched in New Zealand in 2008, Nigeria have failed to make the finals only once – the 2018 tournament hosted by Uruguay.
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WOMEN'S FOOTBALL
Despite heavy first leg loss, Algeria hopeful of a turnaround in Nigeria’s Flamingos clash
The Algeria U17 women’s national team still hope for a possible turnaround in this Friday night clash with Nigeria’s Flamingos.
Algeria lost 4-0 in the first leg match in Ikenne last Saturday.
The Algerians completed their preparations on Thursday at the Sidi Moussa National Technical Centre, the eve of the return match against Nigeria.
The return match is scheduled for this Friday at 8 p.m. at the Mustapha Tchaker Stadium in Blida. Aggregate winners will pick a ticket to the FIFA U-17 Women’s 2025 World Cup.
According to sources in Algeria, all the players took part in the final session, during which coach Abdenour Mira finalised the tactical details for the make or mar encounter.
Despite the heavy defeat conceded in the first leg (4-0), the young Algerians approach this match with the desire to finish well and deliver an honourable performance against a formidable Nigerian team.
During the technical meeting held early in the afternoon at the FAF headquarters, in the presence of representatives of the two teams and the organisers, it was decided that Algeria will play in green, while Nigeria will wear white.
The match will be officiated by Cameroonian Aline Marie Noelle Guimbang, assisted by her compatriot Laurie Marcelle Tsafack Teikeu and Chadian Victorine Ngarassoum.
The fourth official will also be Cameroonian, Innoncentia Njang Ntangti.
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WOMEN'S FOOTBALL
Under possible cold weather in Blida, Nigeria’s Flamingos set to grab World Cup ticket
The weather is most likely to be cold, but Nigeria’s U17 girls, Flamingos, are set to continue a tradition of qualifying for every edition of the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup, which has had eight editions, out of which the Flamingos featured in seven.
Only Japan, with 100 per cent attendance, has featured in more competitions than Nigeria’s Flamingos.
They look poised to feature again after a 4-0 defeat of Algeria in the first leg of the final qualifying series.
Apart from their opponents, Algeria, they have the expected cold weather to battle with at the Stade Mustapha Tchaker in Blida (outside Algiers), on Friday night.
Friday’s encounter against their Algerian counterparts is the final leg of a final qualifying round fixture, with the Flamingos, bronze-medallists from the 2022 finals in India and quarterfinalists from the last edition in the Dominican Republic, holding on to a 4-0 first-leg advantage.
The Federation Algerienne de Football (FAF) has scheduled the match to kick off at 8 pm, at a time when the winds will begin to blow in stronger from the Mediterranean Sea.
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