As the Super Falcons begin their preparations towards the forthcoming FIFA Women’s World Cup to be jointly hosted by Australia and New Zealand with international friendly matches in Turkey against Haiti and New Zealand, Chinwendu Ihezuo, who was a silver boot winner at the 2012 FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup in Azerbaijan , believes the national women’s team can excel in July with the support of Nigerians, TUNDE LIADI writes
Chinwendu Ihezuo burst into public glare at the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup in Azerbaijan in 2012 as a 15-year-old as she scored six goals in that tournament including five goals in Nigeria’s Flamingoes 11-0 demolition of the hosts, Azerbaijan.
It became Nigeria’s biggest win in any FIFA World Cup event and her five goals became the highest goals scored in a single game at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup stood before Spaniard striker, Lovena Navarro equalled her feat four years later in a tie against another host, Jordan.
Ihezuo’s brilliant performance for the Flamingoes earned her rave reviews both home and abroad and this marked her breakthrough.
She was adjudged the silver boot winner at the competition with six goals despite Nigeria exiting the cadet tournament at the quarterfinal stage following their loss to France.
The then Pelican Stars’ forward was then nominated by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) for the 2012 CAF Women’s Footballer of the Year Award alongside South African legend, Portia Modise and eventual winner, Equatorial- Guinea’s Genoveva Anoman whose team won the 2012 African Women’s Championship as host.
Fortunate to be born in the Ajegunle suburb of Lagos which is synonymous with grassroots sports, Ihezuo was also lucky to have parents (especially her mother) who were very supportive of her passion for football by buying her kits from the outset.
Over 10 years down the line, the Imo State-born footballer has won the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations with the Super Falcons 2018 in Ghana and a silver medal with the Falconets at the 2014 FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup.
She also made her debut at the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2019 in France following her first goal for Super Falcons against Romania in a friendly game.
After successful stints in Nigeria, Kazakhstan and China, Chinwendu recently joined Liga MX Femenil club Monterrey in the Mexican women’s football league and the striker opined that her desire to try out new culture and adjust to life in a new clime informed her decision to leave the Chinese Women’s Super League where she played for Meizhou Hakka and Henan Huishang.
The former Delta Queens attacker gushed over her club’s impressive league form where they remain atop with 30 points from 12 games and still remain unbeaten.
She notched her fourth goal of the season from eight appearances in their last Saturday’s 2-2 away draw against UNAM Pumas Women. It was her second consecutive goal after scoring again in their 1-1 home draw against UANL- Tigres Women prior to their latest draw.
“I decided to move to another place to try a new culture because China is a good place too,” Ihezuo told NationSport in an exclusive conversation.
“I enjoyed China but I think I am loving Mexico more and more. In China, everything was good until Covid-19 came and things changed drastically.
“I’m glad that in Mexico, I see people to communicate with in English more often than in China. Mexico has no issues with Covid-19 again and everywhere is free and open. We can even work around without the use of nose masks.
“Yes. I’m getting used to the weather and time difference. I think I have settled and my team is doing so well, for now we are topping the league table.”
Ihezuo opened up on her unsavoury experience at the heat of Covid-19 pandemic when she and Onome Ebi got trapped in Nigeria and were unable to honour their second year contract at their Chinese clubs following Nigeria’s government’s decision to shut the airspace to reduce the surge of the virus.
“Covid-19 restriction in China was very strict,” she recalled. “The borders were closed and once you go out of the country, you can’t come in; it was a difficult period for all sports but we are grateful it came to pass.”
With the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup just around the corner and the Super Falcons billed to face Republic of Ireland, Australia and Canada in Group B, Ihezuo noted that the Nigeria’s women senior national team can go far at the competition with the total support of the coach Randy Waldrum-led side.
She stressed that the Falcons didn’t underperform in Morocco despite placing fourth behind South Africa, Morocco and Zambia, noting that maintaining their record of always qualifying for the World Cup was worth celebrating.
The Monterrey attacker said with the growth of football in Africa, it will be foolhardy to underrate any team and that the Falcons remain the envy of other nations on the continent following their several years of dominance.
She said: “In Morocco, I think the ladies did their very best because it is not easy. No team can be underrated again because every country is working really hard.
“Nigerians don’t have confidence in the Falcons. The team must continue working hard to remain at the top. I believe the Super Falcons will do well at the World Cup.
“We have a good team and I believe with time the Super Falcons will get better.”
The 25-year-old said it was her desire to remain active in the sport for as long as she’s fit for both club and country, adding life outside the beautiful game has not crossed her mind.
Ihezuo also said her humble wish to be financially stable in her chosen field and also to care for her family knowing that the career of sportsmen and women is short.
“I am still very devoted to what I do,” she said. “I don’t know for now when I will call it quits with football; I will call it a day when I’m tired and not enjoying it again.”
She added: “It is my dream to be financially stable and take good care of my family. I can never forget the role my parents, especially my mother, played in my career.
“I will love her to enjoy the fruit of her labour too. I want to live a good life because it has no duplicate.”
The Super Falcons attacker is delighted to be able to speak other languages apart from her mother’s tongue. Beside Russian and Chinese languages, she has also expressed her determination to learn Spanish which is the official Mexican language, her current base.
“I love doing real things. I love humble and respectful people. I love music and chilling. I like seeing and hearing good news and I always love peace too,” she added. “I don’t like fake life. I don’t like Jealousy. I don’t like lies, stingy and selfish individuals. I detest disrespect too.”
Meanwhile, Ihezuo and her Liga MX Femenil club Monterrey will be hoping to protect their slender lead at the top when they trade tackle with Toluca Women on April 18th.