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Tag: Falconets

  • 13th African Games: Falconets defeat Morocco 2-0 in group B opener

    13th African Games: Falconets defeat Morocco 2-0 in group B opener

    The Falconets of Nigeria on Friday night defeated their Moroccan counterparts by 2-0 courtesy of an own goal and a second by A.Yina just before halftime to kickstart their 13th African Games on a winning note.

    The Nigerian girls, who won Gold in 2019 in Morocco, opened scoring in the 19th minute through an own goal and then doubled their lead just before halftime through A.Yina.

    The girls mounted pressure on their opponents but were undone by lack of clinical  finishing.

    Their next Group B match will be against Senegal on Monday night.

    Cameroon are the other team in this group.

    Hosts Ghana are drawn in Group A alongside Ethiopia, Tanzania and Uganda.

    The top two teams in each group advance to the semifinals.

    Nigerian have been tagged overwhelming favourite to retain the title they last won in Rabat, Morocco four years ago.

  • 13th African Games: Morocco’s coach reveals mission against Nigeria’s Falconets

    13th African Games: Morocco’s coach reveals mission against Nigeria’s Falconets

    Lipoff Dimitri the Morocco female U-20 coach has revealed that  his team’s mission at the 2023 13th African Games.

    Dimitri said that his mission is to to improve on the team’s development.

    The North Africans will face defending champions Falconets of Nigeria in their opening fixture at the Cape Coast Stadium on Friday (today).

    The Falconets are overwhelming favourites to win the contest.

    Dimitri hinted that his side will approach the tournament with a focus on improvement and competitiveness.

    “We are here to improve and find solutions to better ourselves,” the gaffer told a press conference ahead of the game.

    Despite the challenges posed by formidable opponents, Morocco remains undaunted and ready to compete at their best, according to forward, Salma Tammar.

    “Our objective is to play well and prepare for the upcoming World Cup,” Tammar stated, emphasizing the importance of performing strongly in the African Games as a stepping stone to future success.

  • African Games: Danjuma confirms 29 players in camp

    African Games: Danjuma confirms 29 players in camp

    Christopher Danjuma, the Head coach of  Nigeria’s Under 20 Girls, the Falconets, on Saturday confirmed that 29 players were in camp ahead of the 2023 African Games in Ghana.

    Danjuma who made the confirmation to NAN on Saturday in Abuja, said six more players were invited to join the 23 already in camp ahead of the games.

    23 players that were earlier invited to camp on Feb. 15, to commence preparations for the Games.

    “The six players were recently added to the camp. At the end of the camp, 20 players will be selected for the Games,” he said.

    He said that the team has intensified preparations ahead of the tournament.

    According to him, the technical creware implementing outlined strategies, utilising a meticulously crafted training template to maximise the team’s readiness for the competition.

    He also expressed optimism about Nigeria’s chances of securing a podium finish in Ghana.

    Danjuma urged the players to be focused and committed while in camp, adding that the target is to retain the title won in Morocco in 2019.

    “We won gold at the last edition and we are intensifying effort to achieve the same feat this time around,” he said.

    The coach expressed his appreciation for the support of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF ) towards the development of football in the country.

    He said that the team will leave the country for  Ghana on March 1.

    The Falconets have also won a gold medal in the football competition in the 2003 and the 2007 edition of the Games.

    Falconets are grouped alongside Morocco, Senegal and Cameroon at the games.

    The 13th African Games will be held in three cities across Ghana – Accra, Kumasi, and Cape Coast from March 8 to March 23.

  • Falconets beat Burundi 1-0 to qualify for World Cup

    Falconets beat Burundi 1-0 to qualify for World Cup

    Nigeria’s Under 20 football team, the Falconets, on Saturday defeated Burundi 1-0 to qualify for the 2024 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup.

    The match played at the Moshood Abiola Stadium in Abuja saw both teams playing defensive game in the first half.

    In the quarter-hour, Chiamaka Okwuchukwu swung the ball into the visitors’ box from the wing, but Falconets leading scorer Janet Akekoromowei failed to convert the opportunity.

    It was Okwuchukwu’s turn to miss in the 34th minute, when she could not convert a pull-out by Opeyemi Ajakaye.

    The two teams fought hard but were unable to utilise their scoring chances in the first half.

    However, Ajakaye made hay with an assist by Akekoromowei in the 79th minute when she banged in the only goal of the match.

    What would have been the second goal for the Falconets scored by Ajakaye in the 90th minute was disallowed by the referee.

    The result put Nigeria through to the finals of the 2024 U-20 Women’s World Cup slated to hold in Colombia from Aug. 31 to Sept. 22

    Nigeria has been ever-present at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, since it was launched as an U-19 tournament in Canada 2002.

    Nigeria finished as runners-up in 2010 and 2014, and reached the semi-finals in Japan in 2012.

    The 2024 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup will be the 11th edition of the championship.

    It will be the third time Colombia will host a FIFA tournament, and the first FIFA women’s tournament to be hosted by the country.

  • Falconets edge Burundi in Tanzania to put one leg in Colombia

    Falconets edge Burundi in Tanzania to put one leg in Colombia

    Meanwhile, Nigeria’s U20 girls, Falconets brought joy to the nation’s teeming football lovers with a 1-0 defeat of Burundi in the first leg of their FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup final qualifying round fixture in Dar es Salaam on Sunday.

     

    Janet Akekoromowei scored from the penalty spot in added time in the first half to give the 2022 World Cup quarter-finalists victory, and the Burundians played with only 10 women after that following red card to defender Ariella Umuarerwa.

     

    Both teams will clash again at the MKO Abiola National Stadium, Abuja on Saturday, in the final leg of the qualification series, with the winner on aggregate qualifying as one of Africa’s four representatives at this year’s FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup finals in Colombia.     

  • Colombia 2024: Danjuma invites 25 players to camp for Burundi

    Colombia 2024: Danjuma invites 25 players to camp for Burundi

    Coach Christopher Musa Danjuma has called up 25 players to the camp of the Nigeria’s U-20 Girls, the Falconets for the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup qualifying fixture against Burundi.

    Ademola Olajire, Director of Communications at the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) stated this in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja.

    The invited players are expected to resume camp in the Federal Capital, Abuja on Dec. 27.

    The Falconets reached the third round of the qualification after the withdrawal of Mauritius.

    The Falconets edged their counterparts from Tanzania 3-2 on aggregate in the second round in November, setting up a clash with Burundi which sent the U20 girls of South Africa and the Democratic Republic of Congo packing from the race.

    Burundi will host the first leg of the fixture in Bujumbura from Jan. 12 to Jan.14, with the return leg at the Mohood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja on Jan.30.

    The winner of the fixture will reach the last round of the qualification series, with the matches to be played in  March 2024.

    The FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup is scheduled for Colombia from  Aug. 31 to Sept. 22, 2024.

  • 2024 FIFA U20 WC: Falconets scale Tanzania hurdle, progress to final round

    2024 FIFA U20 WC: Falconets scale Tanzania hurdle, progress to final round

    Goals by Janet Akekoromowei and Comfort Folorunsho against Tanzania at the MKO Abiola Stadium, Abuja on Sunday gave Nigeria a 2-1 win and progress to the final round of qualifiers for the 2024 FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup finals.

     

    After a gloomy afternoon for Nigerian ball fans following the Super Eagles’ disappointing 1-1 draw with the Warriors of Zimbabwe in neutral Rwanda in the race to 2026 FIFA World Cup finals, the Falconets gave the fans something to smile about as they edged their Tanzanian counterparts 3-2 on aggregate to reach the final round, where they will take on Burundi’s U20 girls.

     

    The 2022 World Cup quarter-finalists, who have never been absent from the global finals, swarmed on the visitors from the first blast of the whistle, but poor marksmanship on the part of former U17 team striker Opeyemi Ajakaye robbed them of an early goal.

     

    Akekoromowei eventually put Nigeria in front after 16 minutes, when she rifled home from the edge of the box after an intelligent pass from Taiwo Afolabi.

     

    Five minutes later, the East Africans were at parity, when goalkeeper Shukura Bakare dropped the ball from an innocuous-looking free-kick 35 yards out and Jamila Mnunduka bundled the ball over the line.

     

    Nigeria would have been ahead in the 25th minute, but defender Shukurat Oladipo’s well-struck free-kick from 40 yards was parried away by goalkeeper Zulfa Ally Makau. Ajakaye failed to make hay with another opportunity in the 33rd minute.

     

    On the hour mark, defender Comfort Folorunsho broke the spell of 1-1draws for Nigeria’s national teams in recent weeks, when she leapt highest to head home from Afolabi’s cross after a couple of touches from a corner kick.  

     

    The Falconets will now take on Burundi in the final round of qualifiers, to determine one of Africa’s flagbearers at next year’s global championship to be hosted by Colombia. 

  • Colombia 2024: Falconets progress to third round as Mauritius withdraw

    Colombia 2024: Falconets progress to third round as Mauritius withdraw

    The Mauritius Football Association has notified the Confederation of African Football of the withdrawal of the country’s U20 Women National Team from the ongoing African qualifying series for next year’s FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup finals.

     

    “Kindly note that CAF was informed of the withdrawal of Mauritius FA from the African qualifiers of FIFA U20 WWC 2024. Consequently, Nigeria is qualified to the next round of the competition and the missions of all officials of matches 37 & 38 are cancelled,” read a communication from CAF to the Nigeria Football Federation.

     

    The Falconets were to fly to Mauritius next week for the first leg in Saint Pierre against the Mauritius U20 girls, with the return leg scheduled for the MKO Abiola National Stadium, Abuja on Saturday, 14th October.

     

    With this situation, 2022 World Cup quarter-finalists Nigeria now progress to the next round of the qualification series.    

     

  • U-20 W/Cup Qualifiers: Nigeria to clash with Burundi in October

    U-20 W/Cup Qualifiers: Nigeria to clash with Burundi in October

    Nigeria’s Falconets will trade tackle with the Burindi U-20 female national team i in the second round of the 2024 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup qualifiers.

    The draw was drawn today at the Confederation of African Football (CAF) secretariat in Cairo, Egypt.

    The first and second-leg matches will be played between October 6 and October 15.

    The winners of the tie will proceed to the third round of the qualifiers scheduled for between November 12 to November 19.

    Afriva has been given two slots for the World Cup holding next year.

    The Falconets were semi-finalists in the last edition of the World Cup held in France in 2022.

  • Gallant Falconets lose penalty shootout in WAFU U20 Women Championship final

    Gallant Falconets lose penalty shootout in WAFU U20 Women Championship final

    Nigeria’s U20 girls, Falconets were unlucky in the lottery of penalty shootout, losing 1-3 to Ghana’s Black Princesses in the final of the WAFU B U20 Women Championship in Kumasi on Saturday.

    Stella Nyamekye made no mistake from the spot to put the Black Princesses ahead in the 39th minute, but two-time FIFA World Cup silver-medallists Nigeria roared back to contention when Flourish Sebastine equalized with four minutes left in regulation time.

    However, they could not hold their own in the spot kicks, scoring only one of their four kicks while Ghana scored three of their five to claim the trophy.

    Defeat in the final was a hard one to swallow for the Falconets, who scored a total of 20 goals in their five matches at the tournament.

    The Nigerian ladies had a good tournament prior to the final beating teams with plenty of goals.

    Falconets spanked Togo 6-0 in the opening match of the WAFU B championship and followed it win a  7-0 win against Niger Republic and another 3-0 win over Benin Republic.

    The Nigerian ladies  also defeated Burkina Faso 3-0 in the semi-final to qualify to play Ghana in the Final.

    Nigeria and Ghana qualify for Women U-20 Nations Cup to be played later in the year.

    With Nigeria’s rich history in women’s football, their participation in the Women’s U-20 Cup of Nations will surely be a tournament highlight.