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Tag: Falconets

  • Colombia 2024: Falconets off to Bogota for two-week final camping ahead World Cup finals

    Colombia 2024: Falconets off to Bogota for two-week final camping ahead World Cup finals

    Two-time finalists Nigeria will set up camp in the Colombian capital, Bogota as from Sunday, for a two-week final camping programme leading to the commencement of the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup finals which begin in that country on the last day of this month.

    The ever-present Falconets, who also reached the semi-finals in Japan 12 years ago and have been in the quarter-finals in 2006, 2018 and 2022, grabbed one of Africa’s tickets to this year’s final tournament after aggregate-score defeats of Tanzania and Burundi.

    The Coach Christopher Musa Danjuma-led maidens spent four weeks in the first phase of their final camping in Abuja, during which they won a series of friendly games, losing only once.

    “I want to thank the NFF for arranging the two-week camping in Colombia. This will go a long way to help the team, as the players will acclimatize very well and get familiar with their surroundings before the championship begins. I assure you that we will make the best use of this opportunity,” Danjuma told thenff.com on Saturday, hours before the team was due to fly out of the country to Istanbul aboard a Turkish Airline flight, en route Bogota.

    On Friday, Sports Minister John Owan Enoh met with the squad, and charged them to go for the ultimate prize having won the silver medals previously and being in the semi-finals once.

    “Your predecessors have done well reaching the final of the competition on two occasions and making the semi-finals once. It is now time for you to take our country further by winning the trophy. I commend the NFF for arranging the two-week final camping for you in Colombia that will enable you to acclimatize very well before the tournament.

    “The Government and the people of this great country are with you, and I am confident that you will not disappoint.”

    Present in Canada in 2002 when the tournament was launched as an U19 Championship, the Falconets have participated in Thailand 2004, Russia 2006, Chile 2008, Germany 2010, Japan 2012, Canada 2014, Papua New Guinea 2016, France 2018 and Costa Rica 2022. The global coronavirus pandemic made any tournament impossible in 2020.

    Already drawn to play Korea Republic, Germany and Venezuela in that order in the group phase, the Falconets know they must start fighting hard from the first blast of the whistle in Bogota to have any chance of making the Round of 16, as the competition welcomes 24 teams for the very first time.

    With the field expanded to 24, Africa now has four flag-bearers (Nigeria, Morocco, Cameroon and Ghana this time) Matches will take place in four venues in three different cities (Bogotá, Medellín and Cali). There will be two venues in Bogotá – Estadio El Campín and Estadio Metropolitano de Techo. The Estadio Atanasio Girardot in Medellín and the Estadio Pascual Guerrero in Cali are the other venues.

    Nigeria’s first match of the tournament against Korea Republic holds inside the 10,000 -capacity Estadio Metropolitano de Techo in Bogota on 1st September – the same venue where they confront Germany three days later. Their final match of the group phase is against Venezuela at the Estadio Pascual Guerrero in Cali on 7th September.

  • Colombia 2024: NFF President, Gusau urges Falconets to stay focused ahead of tournament

    Colombia 2024: NFF President, Gusau urges Falconets to stay focused ahead of tournament

    President of Nigeria Football Federation, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau on Monday charged players of Nigeria’s U20 girls, Falconets, to be focused, attentive to the instructions of their coaches, work hard and embrace discipline to achieve success at this year’s FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup finals in Colombia.

    Two-time runners-up Nigeria have come close but are yet to lift FIFA’s second most important trophy for the women’s game, but Gusau believes hard work, discipline and dedication can see the Falconets mount the winners’ podium this time around.

    “I am aware of our country’s pedigree in the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup. Your predecessors have won the silver medal on two occasions and reached the semi finals once. Now is the time for the ultimate.

    “I believe that with discipline, hard work, dedication, focus and prayers for mother luck in your matches, you can emerge triumphant. These are the qualities that are necessary for success. The NFF will continue to provide the support and encouragement that you need to excel,” Gusau said as he spoke to the players after their morning training session at the NFF/FIFA Goal Project on Monday.

    The 2024 finals in Colombia will be the first to welcome 24 teams, with Africa supplying four (Nigeria, Morocco, Cameroon and Ghana). Matches will take place in four venues in three different cities (Bogotá, Medellín and Cali). There will be two venues in Bogotá – Estadio El Campín and Estadio El Techo. The Estadio Atanasio Girardot in Medellín and the Estadio Pascual Guerrero in Cali are the other venues.

    2022 quarter-finalists Nigeria have been drawn to play three-time winners Germany, Venezuela and Korea Republic in Group D of this year’s tournament.

    The final competition, which will welcome 24 teams for the first time, will hold 31st August – 22nd September.

    GROUP A: Colombia, Australia, Cameroon, Mexico

    GROUP B: France, Canada, Brazil, Fiji

    GROUP C: Spain, USA, Paraguay, Morocco

    GROUP D: Germany, Venezuela, Nigeria, Korea Republic

    GROUP E: Japan, New Zealand, Ghana, Austria

    GROUP F: Korea DPR, Argentina, Costa Rica, The Netherlands

  • Colombia 2024: Danjuma invites 32 as countdown begins to Final Tournament

    Colombia 2024: Danjuma invites 32 as countdown begins to Final Tournament

    With just eight weeks to their first match of the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup Colombia 2024, Head Coach Chris Musa Danjuma has called up four goalkeepers, eight defenders, eight midfielders and 12 strikers to a training camp in the Federal Capital, Abuja in the first phase of preparation for the global tournament.

    Team captain Oluchi Ohaegbulem is top of the list, with first-choice goalkeeper Faith Omilana, defenders Shukurat Oladipo and Comfort Folorunsho, midfielders Chinyere Kalu, Adoo Yina and Rofiat Imuran, and forwards Janet Akekoromowei, Flourish Sabastine and Aminat Bello also called.

    Nigeria, a fixture at the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup finals since the tournament began as an U19 event in Canada 22 years ago, will contend with three-time winners Germany, Asian powerhouse Korea Republic and South American representatives Venezuela in group D of the competition scheduled for three Colombian cities, 31st August – 22nd September.

    All the invited are expected at Serob Legacy Hotel, Wuye, Abuja on Sunday, 7th July.

     

     

     

    ALL THE INVITED PLAYERS:

     

     

     

    Goalkeepers: Anderline Mgbechi (Delta Queens); Rachael Unachukwu (Nasarawa Amazons); Faith Omilana (Naija Ratels); Shukura Bakare (Nasarawa Amazons)

     

     

     

    Defenders: Oluchi Ohaegbulem (Nasarawa Amazons); Jumoke Alani (Nasarawa Amazons); Shukurat Oladipo (FC Robo Queens); Oluwabunmi Oladeji (Naija Ratels); Folashade Adegbemile (Delta Queens); Chidera Okenwa (Delta Queens); Comfort Folorunsho (Edo Queens); Taiwo Lawal

     

     

     

    Midfielders: Adoo Yina (Nasarawa Amazons); Olushola Shobowale (Nasarawa Amazons); Aminat Folorunsho (Rivers Angels); Chioma Olise (Edo Queens); Chinyere Kalu (Nasarawa Amazons); Joy Igbokwe (Naija Ratels); Rofiat Imuran (Stade de Reims, France); Zikora Agama (Naija Ratels)

     

     

     

    Forwards: Delight Nwosu (Dannaz Ladies); Adaobi Okah (Remo Stars Ladies); Chiamaka Okwuchukwu (Rivers Angels); Chinaza Agoh (Delta Queens); Mary Nkpa (Heartland Queens); Chiamaka Osigwe (Edo Queens); Janet Akekoromowei (Asisat Academy); Mary Offor (Adamawa Queens); Flourish Sabastine (Stade de Reims, France); Sharon Ulumma (Heartland Queens); Aminat Bello (Otero College, USA); Reilly Adebowale (Bohemian FC, Republic of Ireland

  • Colombia 2024: Falconets drawn in Group D alongside, Germany, others

    Colombia 2024: Falconets drawn in Group D alongside, Germany, others

    Nigeria’s Falconets have been drawn in Group D alongside Germany, Venezuela and South Korea for the 2024 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup.

    The draw was held n Bogota, Colombia, on Wednesday night with dignitaries in football present.

    Twenty-four teams will participate in the competition for the first time.

    Matches will take place in four venues in three different cities (Bogotá, Medellín and Cali).

    The top two teams in each group will qualify for the Round of 16, alongside the best four third-placed teams.

    The Falconets have been runners-up twice in the competition (2010 and 2014).

    The tournament is scheduled to take place later in the year

  • Colombia 2024: Anxiety for Falconets as World Cup draw holds in Bogotá

    Colombia 2024: Anxiety for Falconets as World Cup draw holds in Bogotá

    Coach Chris Musa Danjuma has assured that the Nigeria U20 girls, Falconets, have no fears as the draw ceremony for this year’s FIFA U20 World Cup finals takes place in the Colombian capital, Bogotá on Wednesday.

    “We have no fear about any of the teams in the finals. Any team can be in our group. We know that to be the best, we have to beat the best,” said Danjuma, who took the team to the quarter-finals of the last edition in Costa Rica.

    The 2024 finals in Colombia will be the first to welcome 24 teams, with Africa supplying four (Nigeria, Morocco, Cameroon and Ghana). Matches will take place in four venues in three different cities (Bogotá, Medellín and Cali). There will be two venues in Bogotá – Estadio El Campín and Estadio El Techo. The Estadio Atanasio Girardot in Medellín and the Estadio Pascual Guerrero in Cali are the other venues.

    Already, the 24 finalists have been segregated into four pots thus:

    Pot 1: Colombia, Spain, Japan, France, Korea DPR, Germany

    Pot 2: Nigeria, Brazil, Mexico, USA, Netherlands, New Zealand

    Pot 3: Korea Republic, Ghana, Australia, Canada, Paraguay, Argentina

    Pot 4: Austria, Cameroon, Costa Rica, Fiji Islands, Morocco, Venezuela

    Wednesday’s draw will throw the 24 teams into six groups of four teams each, with the two top-placed teams in each group qualifying to a Round of 16, alongside the best four third-placed teams.

    Germany and the USA are the biggest winners of the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup, with three triumphs each. Korea DPR are two-time winners, with Japan and Spain winning once each. Spain are the Cup holders.  

  • 13th African Games: Hosts Ghana defeat Falconets 2-1 to emerge champions

    13th African Games: Hosts Ghana defeat Falconets 2-1 to emerge champions

    The Black Princesses of Ghana on Thursday night dethroned the Falconets of Nigeria to emerge champions of the female event of the ongoing 13th  African Games.

    Ghana defeated the Nigeria  2-1 to emerge champions after a thrilling encounter  at the packed Cape Coast Stadium.

    The Nigerian ladies had gone ahead in the game when Loveth Edeh profited from a goalkeeper’s blunder in the 23rd minute to take the lead.

    However, Ghana Black Princesses drew level in the 78th minute through Tracy Twum to make up for her numerous misses.

    Mukarama Abdullai powered home the winner in the 99th minute of the encounter to put scores at 2-1 for the host.

    It was a wonderful effort and a  superb goal as she fired home from the edge of the box beyond the Nigerian goalkeeper to the delight of the home fans.

    The result meant that the host is the new African Games female champions after reclaiming the title they last won in 2015.

    Meanwhile, the Super Eagles will today take on their Ghanaian counterpart in an International friendly slated for  Marakech, Morocco.

     

  • 13th African Games: Falconets coach, Danjuma sure of retaining trophy

    13th African Games: Falconets coach, Danjuma sure of retaining trophy

    Coach Chris Musa Danjuma is expectedly sanguine following his Nigeria U20 girls’ progress to the final of the women’s football event of the ongoing 13th African Games in Ghana.

    The experienced tactician watched with delight as substitutes Judith Adaobi Okah and Chiamaka Okwuchukwu, off the bench, provided the goals that sent Uganda’s U20 packing and sent the defending champions to the final against hosts Ghana on Thursday night.

    “We should have put away some of the chances we created in the first half, but we are happy to get two second-half goals and reach the final. It is an opportunity to retain our gold medal from the last edition in Morocco and we will do everything to win and make Nigerians happy.

    “In as much as we are not thinking about revenge, we know that we have unfinished business with Ghana. Our primary objective is to retain our gold medal in the African Games and by doing that, we would have sorted out the unfinished business.”

    The ‘unfinished business’ that Danjuma referred to was the WAFU B U20 Championship hosted by Ghana last year, in which the host nation edged out the Falconets in the final in Kumasi to win the regional title.

    Danjuma’s girls have been imperial in Cape Coast, scoring eight goals in three matches without conceding any, and looking quite settled in several departments as they countenance this year’s FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup finals in Colombia, for which they have already qualified.

    The veteran gaffer made use of three different goalkeepers in the home-and-away World Cup qualifying duels against Tanzania and Burundi, but appears to have finally settled for World Cup bronze medallist Faith Omilana, who has kept goal in all matches in Cape Coast.

    Shukurat Oladipo, Jumoke Alani and captain Oluchi Ohaegbulem are keeping things very tight at the back, while the experienced Yina Adoo and Chioma Olise have been boosted by Loveth Edeh and Bunmi Oladeji in the middle. In the attack, Chiamaka Okwuchukwu and Chinyere Kalu now have to contend with Olushola Shobowale and Adaobi Okah.

    Thursday’s final will commence at 8pm Ghana time (9pm Nigeria time).

  • African Games: Falconets to battle Ghana in Final

    African Games: Falconets to battle Ghana in Final

    Nigeria’s Under -20 female  football  team, the Falconets, will take on Ghana on Thursday in the final of the women’s football event at the 13th African Games in Ghana.

    Falconets booked their place in the finals, after defeating Uganda 2-0 in the match played at the Cape Coast Stadium on Monday in the first semi-final.

    Ghana also defeated the  Teranga Lionesses of Senegal 3-1 to book a place in the final.

    The final between Nigeria and hosts Ghana will hold at the Cape Coast Stadium on Thursday by 8pm.

    Meanwhile, Uganda will face Senegal  to fight for the bronze medal in the event which will hold at Cape Coast Stadium on the same day (Thursday ) by 5pm .

    NAN reports that Falconets won the gold medal in the event at the 12th African Games in Rabat, Morocco, in 2019.

    The 13th African Games, which started March 8, will end  on March 23. The ongoing games are being held across three cities of  Accra, Kumasi and Cape Coast.

  • Falconets progress to finals at 13th African Games

    Falconets progress to finals at 13th African Games

    Nigeria’s Under-20 female football team, the Falconets, on Monday reached the finals of the women’s football event at the 13th African Games in Ghana.

    They defeated their Ugandan counterparts 2-0 in the semi-finals of their match at Cape Coast Stadium.

    The Falconets have therefore boosted their quest to clinch the gold medal in their event.

    Monday’s encounter was closely contested with both teams vying for a spot in the finals.

    Falconets, had beaten Morocco 2-0 in their first match before a 4-0 humbling of Senegal in their second group B game to qualify for the semi-finals.

    Both teams had pushed for a breakthrough in the first half of the match which ended goalless.

    Substitutes, Adaobi Okoh and Chiamaka Okwuchukwu, scored the  goals that lifted the Nigerians over Ugandans for a place in the finals of the African Games 2023.

    Uganda fought well until Okoh, who replaced Olushola Shobowale, found the back of the net in the 74th minute with her first touch in the game.

    Okwuchukwu added the second  goal in the 89th minute to give Nigeria the desired victory.

    The Falconets will face the winner of the second semi-finals between hosts, Ghana, and Senegal.

    The loser in the second semi-finals will meet Uganda in the bronze medal’s match of the women’s football event.

    Falconets won the gold medal in the event at the 12th African Games in Rabat, Morocco, in 2019.

    The 13th African Games, which started March 8, will be rounded off on March 23.

    The ongoing games are being held across three cities: Accra, Kumasi and Cape Coast.

  • 13th African Games: Flying Eagles Pip South Sudan 1-0, Falconets thrash Senegal 4-0 in Gold Coast

    13th African Games: Flying Eagles Pip South Sudan 1-0, Falconets thrash Senegal 4-0 in Gold Coast

    The Flying Eagles of Nigeria left in late before defeating South Sudan 1-0 in the second group B game of the 13th African games holding in Ghana.

    Recall that the  Nigerian side suffered a shocking loss to Uganda in the opening group game and had no choice but to beat South Sudan to have a chance of progressing.

    All efforts to score by both sides proved abortive until the Wet Africans broke the deadlock late in the second half to secure all maximum points.

    Sadiq Isyaka converted from the spot in the 80th minute of the encounter after playing on high intensity for 79th minute.

    The 1-0 win placed Nigeria in the second spot behind Uganda who had earlier beaten Senegal by a lone goal.

    Earlier, on Monday, the Nigeria U-20 female football team defeated the Teranga Lionesses of Senegal in their second group game of the 13th African Games in Ghana, Soccernet.ng reports.

    The Super Falconets, Coached by Chris Danjuma, defeated Morocco in their opening group game, before taking on Senegal at the Cape Coast Stadium tonight.

    Goalscorers Yina Aidoo and Chioma Oliseh continued in the first eleven as Nigeria got off to a flying start inside the first fifteen minutes as they hunt for gold in Gold Coast.

    Loveth Edeh broke the deadlock in the 13th minute, putting Nigeria on the front foot to settle the early nerves, and Motunrayo Ezekiel came close just before half-time, only to be denied by the opposition goalkeeper.

    Motunrayo scored five minutes after the restart of the second half, before the Senegalese team caved under pressure, gifting the Falconets another goal with their own hands to make it three on the night for Chris Danjuma’s ladies.

    Ten minutes before the end of the thrilling encounter, a brilliant pass from Chiamaka Okwuchukwu sent Chioma through on goal and she wasted no time in adding the fourth of the game.

    The result means that the Falconets have qualified for the quarter-final stage of the competition.