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Tag: Super Falcons

  •  Women AFCON: Super Falcons begin camping in Abuja

    Cup holders Nigeria have commenced a training camp at the country’s Federal Capital Territory, Abuja ahead of next month’s 12th Women Africa Cup of Nations finals holding in Morocco.

    July’s colourful houseparty in the North African kingdom is expected to generate greater media and global public interest than ever, with the exponential rise in the stature of women’s football helped by the tremendous gains of the last Women’s World Cup in France, robust deliberations on pay parity (with the men) and FIFA’s decision to hike the number of participating teams at next year’s Women’s World Cup finals to 32 – same as for the men’s World Cup.

    Head Coach Randy Waldrum and assistants have the interesting challenge of quality and quantity of players – a useful blend of the old guard, talented youngsters from the home front and a number of skillful foreign-born stars who have been holding their own brilliantly.

    As at Friday morning, there were 19 players in camp, including captain Onome Ebi, alongside goalkeepers Chiamaka Nnadozie and Tochukwu Oluehi, defenders Osinachi Ohale and Akudo Ogbonna, midfielders Rita Chikwelu and Rasheedat Ajibade, and forwards Francisca Ordega, Asisat Oshoala and Gift Monday.

    US –based goalkeeper Yewande Balogun, defender Michelle Alozie and midfielders Amanda Mbadi and Toni Payne were being expected in camp on Friday.

    Forwards Desire Oparanozie and Uchenna Kanu, as well as midfielder Regina Otu and US –based defender Nicole Payne will arrive in Abuja by the weekend.

    England –based defender Ashleigh Plumptre, midfielder Halimatu Ayinde and forwards Francisca Ordega, Vivian Ikechukwu and Ifeoma Onumonu are to join the squad in Morocco next week.

    Nigeria, who have won nine of the 11 Women Africa Cup of Nations championships held so far, bundled out Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire in the qualifying series and will play South Africa, Botswana and Burundi in the group stages in Morocco. They go up against the Banyana Banyana in their first match at the Prince Heritier Moulay Hassan Stadium in Rabat on Monday, 4th July, before matches against Botswana (Thursday, 7th July) and Burundi (Sunday, 10th July) at the same venue.

    All four semi finalists at the tournament in Morocco will qualify to represent Africa at the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia/New Zealand in the summer of 2023.

    ALREADY IN CAMP: Onome Ebi, Rita Chikwelu, Osinachi Ohale, Tochukwu Oluehi, Glory Ogbonna, Asisat Oshoala, Rasheedat Ajibade, Chiamaka Nnadozie, Chidinma Okeke, Rita Akarekor, Gift Monday, Opeyemi Sunday, Charity Adule, Christy Ucheibe, Suliat Abideen, Chinonyerem Macleans, Peace Efih, Ugochi Emenayo, Akudo Ogbonna

    EXPECTED FRIDAY: Yewande Balogun, Toni Oyedupe Payne, Michelle Alozie, Amanda Uju Mbadi

    EXPECTED BY WEEKEND: Nicole Payne, Uchenna Kanu, Desire Oparanozie, Regina Otu

    TO JOIN TEAM IN MOROCCO: Ashleigh Plumptre, Francisca Ordega, Vivian Ikechukwu, Halimatu Ayinde, Ifeoma Onumonu

  • India 2022: Sanusi congratulates Flamingos on World Cup ticket

    General Secretary of the Nigeria Football Federation, Dr Mohammed Sanusi has commended players of the U17 Girls, Flamingos for their qualification for this year’s FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup, following a 1-0 aggregate defeat of Ethiopia in the final round of the series.

     On Saturday, at the MKO Abiola National Stadium, Abuja, the Flamingos drew 0-0 with their Ethiopian counterparts to pick the ticket to India on a 1-0 aggregate.

     Ghana’s Black Maidens ended up in tears as they lost out to Morocco’s U17 girls on penalty shootout in their final leg in North Africa. The Maidens won the first leg 2-0 but lost 2-0 in Morocco in the return leg on Saturday, and the hosts then won the shootout that followed. Nigeria and Morocco are likely to be joined by Tanzania, who hosted Cameroon on Sunday, having already won the first leg away 4-1.

     “The qualification of the Flamingos to the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup, which follows the qualification of the U20 girls, Falconets for their own FIFA World Cup taking place in Costa Rica, underscores our attention and investment in the women’s game. The good outings of the girls are also positive messages to the girl-child in Nigeria that they can always succeed in what they do once they work hard, focus hard and approach things with diligence. I want to use this opportunity to assure Nigerians that the NFF will ensure the two teams are adequately prepared for the global challenges in India and Costa Rica respectively.

     “I have no doubt that the Super Falcons, who are campaigning in the Women AFCON next month where they are also seeking FIFA World Cup ticket, will earn their own World Cup qualification as well as retain the AFCON title.”

     The Super Falcons will commence their AFCON camping programme in Rabat in a fortnight, ahead of the competition that will take place in Morocco 2nd – 23rd July. All four semi finalists in Morocco will be eligible to represent Africa at the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia/New Zealand next year summer.

     The Falconets will participate in the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup that takes place in Costa Rica 10th – 28th August, while the Flamingos will be one of Africa’s flag-bearers at this year’s FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup finals in India 11th – 30th October.

  • Super Falcons forward Oshoala wins treble with Barcelona

    Super Falcons and  Barcelona Femení  forward Asisat Oshoala and her  teammates won their third domestic title this season after winning the Copa de La Reina on Sunday afternoon.

    The Blaugurana thrashed Sporting de Huelva 6-1 in the final at the Estadio Santo Domingo, Alcorcon.

    It’s the second time in history that any team would claim the domestic treble in the Spanish top-flight.

    Although, Oshoala spent the entire game duration on bench, her previous heroics for her clubside earned her some accolades at the club.

     

    Barcelona Femení had earlier won the Spanish Iberdola title and Queens Cup this season.

    Jonathan Giraldez’s side however lost 3-1 to Olympic Lyon in the final of the UEFA Women’s Champions League.

    Oshoala, has been hampered by injuries this season was top scorer in the league with 20 goals from 19 appearances.

    Asisat Lamina Oshoala MON is a Nigerian professional footballer who plays as a striker for Primera División club FC Barcelona Femení and captains the Nigerian women’s national team

     

  • Waldrum calls Ebi, Oshoala, Ordega, 29 others to Women AFCON camp in Morocco

    Waldrum calls Ebi, Oshoala, Ordega, 29 others to Women AFCON camp in Morocco

    Head Coach Randy Waldrum has invited 32 players to the camp of the Super Falcons as the Cup holders get set for a two-week training camp in Morocco ahead of the 12th Women Africa Cup of Nations holding in that country, 2nd – 23rd July.

     

    Goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie, defender and captain Onome Ebi, midfielders Rasheedat Ajibade and Toni Payne, and forwards Francisca Ordega, Desire Oparanozie and Asisat Oshoala are among those called to the two-week intensive training programme.

     

    Thenff.com learnt that the training camp will start on 18th June in the North African kingdom, with all players already advised to arrive in Rabat on 17th June.

     

    Nine –time champions Nigeria will play in Group C of the 12-team tournament alongside South Africa’s Banyana Banyana, Botswana and Burundi. Nigeria’s first match of the competition, at which Africa’s four flagbearers to next year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand will emerge, is against the Banyana at the Complexe Sportif Prince Abdellah in Rabat on 4th July.

     

    SUPER FALCONS FOR TRAINING CAMP IN MOROCCO:

    Goalkeepers: Chiamaka Nnadozie (Paris FC, France); Tochukwu Oluehi (Maccabi Kishronot Hadera, Israel); Rita Akarekor (Nasarawa Amazons); Yewande Balogun (Coppermine United, USA)

     

    Defenders: Opeyemi Sunday (Edo Queens); Glory Ogbonna (Santa Teresa FC, Spain); Onome Ebi (En Avant Guingamp, France); Osinachi Ohale (Deportivo Alaves, Spain); Ugochi Emenayo (Konak Belediyespor Izmir, Turkey); Ashleigh Plumptre (Leicester City, England); Nicole Payne (West Virginia University, USA); Michelle Alozie (Houston Dash, USA); Akudo Ogbonna (Edo Queens)

     

    Midfielders: Peace Efih (Kiryat Gat, Israel); Amanda Uju Mbadi (Atasehir Belediyespor, Turkey); Halimatu Ayinde (Eskilstuna FC, Sweden); Charity Adule (Deportivo La Coruna, Spain); Toni Oyedupe Payne (Sevilla FC, Spain); Regina Otu (Minsk FC, Belarus); Christy Ucheibe (SL Benfica, Portugal); Rasheedat Ajibade (Atletico Madrid, Spain); Rita Chikwelu (Madrid CFF, Spain); Suliat Abideen (Edo Queens)

     

    Forwards: Anam Imo (Pitea IF, Sweden); Francisca Ordega (CSKA Moscow, Russia); Desire Oparanozie (Wuhan Chegu Jianghan, China); Vivian Ikechukwu (WFC Gintra, Lithuania); Chinonyerem Macleans (GSK Gornik Leczna, Poland); Chinwendu Ihezuo (Meizhou Hakka Club, China); Ifeoma Onumonu (NY/NJ Gotham FC, USA); Uchenna Kanu (Tigres Femenil, Mexico); Asisat Oshoala (FC Barcelona, Spain)

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  • Super Falcons to know Women AFCON group opponents on April 25

    Super Falcons to know Women AFCON group opponents on April 25

    Nine –time champions Nigeria will know their group phase opponents at the 12th Women Africa Cup of Nations when the draw is staged on Monday, 25th April 2022.

    Goals by new birds Ifeoma Onumonu and Esther Okoronkwo steered the Super Falcons to a 3-0 aggregate win over Cote d’Ivoire in the final round of the qualifiers in February. In the earlier round, forward Uchenna Kanu scored both goals in Lagos to lift the Falcons past the Black Queens of Ghana, who won the return leg 1-0 in Accra.

    Nigeria won the first edition of the Women Africa Cup of Nations (then known as African Women Championship) staged in the country in 1998, and has won seven other championships. The only times the Super Falcons did not emerge victorious in the history of the competition were when the tournaments were staged in Equatorial Guinea, in 2008 and 2012.

    This year’s tournament in Morocco, 2nd – 23rd July comes with added impetus as the four semi finalists will represent Africa at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup finals in Australia/New Zealand.

    The 12 teams that have qualified to play at the 12th Women Africa Cup of Nations are: Morocco, Nigeria, Uganda, Burundi, Zambia, Togo, Senegal, Tunisia, Botswana, Cameroon, South Africa, Burkina Faso.

    They will be divided into four groups of three teams each.

  • We will invest more in Women’s football – NFF

    We will invest more in Women’s football – NFF

    The Nigeria Football Federation says it will consciously invest even more in the women’s game as the three women National Teams continue to churn out impressive results internationally.

    General Secretary, Dr Mohammed Sanusi on Tuesday applauded the efforts of the Super Falcons in the second of their two-match tour of Canada, in which they were held to a 2-2 draw by Olympic champions Canada at the Starlight Stadium in Langford, Victoria City. The match fell in the early hours of Tuesday in Nigeria.

    “The NFF is very much impressed by the performance of the Super Falcons against Canada, not only in the second match, but also in the first match despite that they lost 0-2. That first match in Vancouver was played only a day after most of the players arrived in Canada due to delays in issuance of visa, and after long-haul flights. To battle the Olympic champions the way they did in their second game means we now have a team that can challenge the best teams in the world competitively on a good day.

    “This is a very encouraging result and the NFF will not rest on its oars but will continue to invest even more in women’s football. The U20 girls, Falconets have recently qualified for the FIFA U20 World Cup after four rounds of qualifying matches, and the Flamingos are also in hot chase for a ticket to the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup in India.”

    The Super Falcons battled the Canadians with zest and confidence in the early hours of Tuesday, with US –based Ifeoma Onumonu, who scored both goals when the Falcons defeated their Ivorian counterparts in the first leg of their Women AFCON final qualifying round in Abuja two months ago, getting on the secoresheet as early as the 5th minute. The first half ended 1-0 in favour of the African champions.

    Veteran Christie Sinclair pulled Canada level four minutes after the restart, but Spain –based playmaker Rasheedat Ajibade, who was remarkable in the first game, shot Nigeria in front once more in the 53rd minute. Shelina Zardosky pulled Canada level with two minutes left on the clock.

    The NFF has revealed plans to have the Super Falcons camp in Morocco ahead of their participation in the 12th Women Africa Cup of Nations, taking place 2nd – 23rd July. The championship also serves as Africa’s qualifying tournament for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, with all four semi finalists earning tickets to the event in Australia/New Zealand, which will be the first 32-team FIFA Women’s World Cup finals in history.

  • Super Falcons play 2-2 with Canada in second Int’l friendly

    Super Falcons play 2-2 with Canada in second Int’l friendly

    The super falcons of Nigeria played out a 2-2 draw with the female national team of Canada in the second game of the two legged friendly held in Vancouver.

    Super Falcons forward Ifeoma Onumonu scored as early as the fifth minute to put Nigeria in the lead before Christine Magareth Sinclair equalized for Canada after latching on to a defensive error from a Super Falcons defender.

    4 Minute after Nigeria and Atletico Femine attacker Rasheedat Ajibade restored Nigeria’s lead to put the scores at 2-1 but Canadian defender headed home a cross from the right flank to equalize in the 88th minute to put the scores at 2-2.

     

    Speaking after the game ,Canada forward Janine Becky said the game was difficult admitting that the Super falcons gave them a run for their money.

    The match monitored by NewsGuru.com TNG saw an improved performance from the Super Falcons players as against the performance posted in the first international friendly against same team where they lost by 2-0.

     

  • Super Falcons lose to Canada in friendly

    Super Falcons lose to Canada in friendly

    Nigeria’s Super Falcons lost 0-2 to their Canadian counterparts on Friday in the first of a two-game encounter between both sides.

    The friendly game at the BC Place Stadium in Vancouver saw Nigeria’s goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie, and later Tochukwu Oluehi, making good saves to limit the 2020 Tokyo Olympic champions.

    Falcons did their best to keep the hosts at bay in the first half but, five minutes into the second half, Jessie Fleming broke the deadlock for the Canadians.

    In the 72nd minute, Vanessa Gilles doubled the hosts’ lead with another goal to finish the game with a 2–0 victory against the nine-time African champions.

    Both teams will meet again on Monday.

  • Asisat Oshoala attacks teammate Onome Ebi over captain’s armband

    Asisat Oshoala attacks teammate Onome Ebi over captain’s armband

    Barcelona Femini attacker and super Falcons forward Asisat Oshoala has verbally attacked teammate Onome Ebi over the team’s captaincy.

    Oshoala has been stripped of the Super Falcons captain’s arm band after leading the senior female team for a year and half.

    The reason for stripping her of the captain’s armband hasn’t been revealed by the coach of Super Falcons, Randy Waldrum.

    Recall that in 2020 Desire Oparanozie was also stripped of the captain’s arm band and handed over to Oshoala. Oparanozie lost the privilege after being accused of insubordination and unnecessary agitations for the team.

    However, Oshoala has put the blame on Super Falcons defender, Onome Ebi, saying she’s 40 and still looking for validation.

    Her twitter post reads:”May i not be 40 and still desperately crave for validation

    ”When somebody openly said she FASTED and PRAYED against the captain Band ,how we wan do na? Check everybody wey collect after her,how far?

    See Tweet Below:

  • Super Falcons coach Randy Waldrum signs 2 years contract extension

    Super Falcons coach Randy Waldrum signs 2 years contract extension

    Super Falcons gaffer Randy Waldrum has put pen to paper for a new two-year deal which will expire in 2024.

    Waldrum signed the deal extension with the Nigeria Football Federation’

    He will be leading the female national team to the women African cup of nations to be held in Morocco later this year.

    The contract will see him finish as the longest-serving coach in Super Falcons history by the end of his tenure in 2024,

    He was appointed as coach by the NFF in May 2020 and has recorded seven wins, four defeats and one draw in 12 games in charge of the team.

    In his acceptance speech, the gaffer noted that contract signing is now a forgotten issue, saying he would concentrate fully on his job now

    “I have signed a new contract with the NFF so that is not an issue going forward.

    “I will like to appreciate the support of the NFF and president of the NFF Amaju Pinnick for seeing the vision and having the confidence in me to continue with the team.” He said

    Waldrum led the Super Falcons to AWCON 2020 ticket when they defeated Ivory Coast 2-0 on aggregate for both legs in the final qualifiers.

    He will be leading the team to the 10th African Women Cup of Nations and hopes to reach the podium.