Nigeria’s Super Falcons are set for an encounter with France’s Les Bleues in a friendly match on 30 November at the Stade Raymond Kopa in Angers. It will commence at 9.30pm local time.

 It will be the fourth time both teams will be meeting following three encounters in Germany in the 2011 Women’s World Cup and that of 2019 in France as well as a friendly match in 2018.  

 In those three matches, the Nigerian side lost without scoring a goal.

While the losses in the Women’s World Cup matches were respectable, 1-0 defeats, the friendly match of 6 April 2018 was scandalous, an 8-0 loss that brought aggregate losses to 10-0.

But the friendly match in view may present a different ball game as the initial ageing Super Falcons is now being rebuilt.

Fresh from a two-match friendly duel with the Green Ladies of Algeria in Nigeria, nine-time African champions Super Falcons are expected to build on the gains of the two friendly matches as they work towards regaining their African title next year in Morocco.

 The rebuilding process has incorporated a good number of home-based professionals giving great promise to the squad being coached by Justine Madugu.

While the friendly match serves as part of Nigeria’s build up to the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco next year, France will be using it for their preparations for the League of Nations in the spring and the 2025 UEFA Euro Women’s Championship in Switzerland.

It is only the seventh time in their history that the Les Bleues will play in the city of Angers.

Past Encounters

26 Jun 2011:  Nigeria  0-1 France    Women’s World Cup 

6 April 2018: France 8-0 Nigeria     Friendly match    

17 Jun 2019:  Nigeria  0-1 France      Women’s World Cup      

Former Somalia captain Iqra Ismail said she has spoken with the Football Association (FA) and is ready to resume playing while wearing tracksuit bottoms after she was barred from a match for not wearing shorts.

Ismail said in an Instagram video earlier this week that she had been playing in the Greater London Women’s Football League (GLWFL) for five years wearing tracksuit bottoms but was not allowed to come on as a substitute on Sunday for United Dragons.

On Wednesday, the FA said women players across its competitions are allowed to wear clothing that follows their religious beliefs.

“I have been in contact with senior members of the FA and Middlesex County FA, they’ve been really supportive and are actively working to make sure nothing like this happens again,” the 24-year-old, who captained Somalia in 2019, said in a video posted to X on Thursday.

“And I am pleased to say, as of this weekend, I will be back on the pitch playing football in my tracksuit bottoms.”

The GLWFL said this week it was their understanding that players were required to wear shorts on top of clothing that covered their legs, but had since been informed it was not so and had passed along the guidance to their match officials.

-Reuters

General Secretary of Nigeria Football Federation, Dr Mohammed Sanusi has formally welcomed the U17 Women National Team, Flamingos, from the 2024 FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup finals in the Dominican Republic, saying the ladies put up a good fight and need to be encouraged despite quarter-final elimination by the United States of America.

“The Nigeria Football Federation is proud of the Flamingos and the efforts they put into the competition. Two years ago, they defeated the USA on penalties at the same stage, on their way to collecting the bronze medals. That is football for you.

“If you watched their games, you will agree that the girls put up a great fight in every match. They swept through their group phase, collecting the maximum nine points and scoring nine goals while conceding only one. They created several chances against the USA but were quite unlucky. This is a good team and the players must be encouraged going forward. I believe a good number of them have the skill, temperament and discipline to progress to the U20 squad.”

The Flamingos’ delegation returned to Nigeria on Tuesday, after the 0-2 defeat in the hands of USA in Santiago de los Caballeros ended their race in the tournament. The girls had spanked New Zealand 4-1, routed Ecuador 4-0 and pipped host nation Dominican Republic 1-0 in overhauling their Group A.

Head Coach Bankole Olowookere said: “Against the USA, it was simply not our day. The girls created opportunities but the ball just wouldn’t go in. The Americans took their chances, and that is football for you. We will start to work immediately at raising an even stronger team for the next edition, as the tournament is now annual and the work must start now.”

The FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup in the Dominican Republic will be the last to be played on a biennial basis, with the competition to be played yearly from next year and Morocco to host the first five editions.