WOMEN'S FOOTBALL
Only three Super Falcons players available for team’s hosting by Nigeria’s first lady
Just three of the 23 players of the Super Falcons were available when the squad was hosted by Nigeria’s first lady, Oluremi Tinubu.
The three players were the captain, Onome Ebi, midfielder Christy Ucheibe and reserve goalkeeper Tochukwu Oluehi.
In spite of the low attendance, President of Nigeria Football Federation, Ibrahim Musa Gusau commended the Wife of the President for hosting players and officials of the Super Falcons following the team’s historic performance at the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia and New Zealand 2023.
The First Lady treated the three available players of the Super Falcons and their officials to a state reception at the State House, Abuja on Monday morning. Joining the three players were a number of technical and administrative officials, the NFF President, NFF 1st Vice President Felix Anyansi-Agwu and the General Secretary Dr Mohammed Sanusi.
At the occasion, the First Lady hailed the Super Falcons for their outing at the biggest stage possible, saying their hard work, focus and determination were seen and appreciated by Nigerians at home and in the diaspora. She minced no words in saying they made Nigerians proud with their scintillating football and deserve to be honoured.
She also prayed for quick recovery for the mother of goalkeeper and on-field captain Chiamaka Nnadozie, who underwent medical operation last week. The first-choice goalkeeper was therefore unable to attend the occasion as scheduled.
Gusau said the First Lady’s gesture was very encouraging and would certainly spur other National Teams, indeed other sports teams, to give their all when representing Nigeria at international level.
“This kind gesture by the First Lady is heartwarming, and I must say that it is a super-incentive that will stimulate our National Teams to give their very best whenever they’re contesting major matches and championships going forward.
“The First Lady said very nice words to the players and they were quite happy. We thank her for the very kind gesture.”
Also in attendance were the wife of the Vice President, Hajia Nana Shettima and the wife of the Senate President, Mrs Ekaette Akpabio.
Unbeaten in regulation time in all four matches they played at the World Cup, the Super Falcons exited the tournament after a penalty shootout defeat to England in the Round of 16 on Monday last week.
WOMEN'S FOOTBALL
Flamingos Set for Morocco 2025 as Nigeria’s U-17s Depart Abuja for Final World Cup Preparations
Nigeria’s U-17 women’s national team, the Flamingos, will depart Abuja in the early hours of Wednesday, October 8, as they begin the final leg of preparations for the 2025 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup scheduled to take place in Morocco.
The team will travel aboard Royal Air Maroc to Casablanca, Morocco’s industrial and economic hub, where they will set up camp ahead of the tournament.
During their stay in Casablanca, the Flamingos will step up their build-up programme with two high-profile international friendlies — first against New Zealand on October 10, and then Paraguay on October 14.
Following their training camp, the team will move into the official FIFA hotel in Rabat on October 15, joining other participating nations as the countdown begins to the global showpiece.
Drawn in Group D, Nigeria will face Canada, France, and Samoa in what promises to be a competitive group. The Flamingos will begin their campaign against Canada on Sunday, October 19, before locking horns with France three days later.
Both matches will be played at the Football Academy Mohammed VI in Sale, with kickoff set for 8 p.m. Nigerian time. Their final group match comes against Samoa on October 25, starting at 5 p.m., also in Sale.
Head Coach Bankole Olowookere’s side heads into the tournament brimming with confidence after a remarkable build-up.
The Flamingos have played 10 tune-up games, scoring an impressive 44 goals without conceding any, a record that highlights their attacking prowess and defensive discipline.
Olowookere has expressed optimism about his team’s readiness, noting that the squad’s balance and form give them belief they can surpass their quarter-final finish at the last edition in the Dominican Republic.
With a perfect preparation run and growing momentum, the Flamingos will be aiming to make history in Morocco and bring pride to Nigerian women’s football once again.
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Nigeria’s U17 Women’s National Team, the Flamingos, are rounding off their preparations for the 2025 FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco with a string of dominant performances that underscore their growing confidence and team chemistry.
In a remarkable build-up campaign, the Flamingos have played eight friendly matches in Abuja, winning all and maintaining a perfect defensive record. The team has scored 26 goals without conceding, a run that has lifted morale and heightened expectations ahead of their World Cup challenge.
Last week, the team showcased their attacking prowess with a convincing 3–0 victory over Abuja All-Stars.
Praise Agba opened the scoring from a loose ball, Olamide Olanrewaju doubled the lead from the penalty spot, and Zainab Raji sealed the win with a thunderous strike shortly after the restart. Goalkeeper Sylvia Echefu was outstanding between the sticks, producing several key saves to preserve another clean sheet.
Earlier, the Flamingos overcame a rain-disrupted clash against Josiah Academy, running out 2–0 winners courtesy of a Chisom Nwachukwu brace within the opening 10 minutes before the downpour forced an early end to proceedings.
The girls also recorded emphatic wins over Nazareth Angels (5–0), with Queen Joseph bagging a brace and goals from Praise Agba, Mariam Yahaya, and Chisom Nwachukwu; and Horvel Prime (5–0), where Joseph netted a first-half hat-trick, while captain Shakirat Moshood and Azeezat Oduntan added one apiece.
Across all their tune-up matches, the Flamingos have demonstrated an impressive balance — clinical in attack, disciplined in midfield, and solid at the back — as they fine-tune for global competition.
Drawn in Group D alongside Canada, France, and Samoa, Nigeria will depart for Morocco on October 8, aiming to carry their perfect form into the tournament, which runs from October 17 to November 8.
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Nigeria’s U20 women’s team, the Falconets, continued the country’s dominance over Rwanda on the international football stage by securing a 1–0 victory in Kigali on Sunday in the first leg of their 2026 FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup second-round qualifier.
The narrow win comes against the backdrop of two recent triumphs by the Super Eagles over Rwanda in the men’s 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying series, underlining Nigeria’s growing hold in encounters with the East Africans.
At the Kigali-Pele Stadium in Nyamirambo, both sides battled fiercely in a goalless first half, with chances at a premium. The breakthrough arrived in the 70th minute when Alaba Olabiyi bundled the ball home from a goalmouth scramble after a Falconets corner. The strike proved enough to hand Coach Moses Aduku a winning start in his first competitive game in charge of the team.
With the victory, the Falconets carry a slim but valuable advantage into the return leg at the Lekan Salami Stadium, Ibadan, on Saturday, where they will be backed by home support as they push for a place in the next round of qualifiers.
The team’s delegation is expected back in Nigeria on Monday morning to begin preparations for the decisive clash.
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