The Nation Newspaper

Tag: AWC

  • Jonathan to Falcons: Bring back the AWC trophy

    Jonathan to Falcons: Bring back the AWC trophy

    President Goodluck Jonathan on Friday congratulated the Super Falcons for reaching the final of the 2014 African Women’s Football Championship in Windhoek, Namibia.

    The President also commended the team for securing a ticket to represent Africa at the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Canada.

    In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, President Jonathan urged the team to go all out against Cameroon in the African Women’s Championship Final.

    He said the team must not fail to continue its glorious domination of African Women’s football with another victory, having won six of the eight previous championships.

    The statement reads: “Although the Falcon’s scintillating performance thus far in this year’s AWC tournament makes the team the bookmakers’ favourites to win the final match, President Jonathan urges the girls not to take victory against Cameroon for granted, but to prepare very well and put their acclaimed soccer skills and strength to the best possible use on Saturday to achieve victory.

    “The President assures the girls and their handlers of the full support and best wishes of the Federal Government and all soccer-loving Nigerians as they strive to add another international sporting laurel to the glory of their fatherland.”

    He joined other Nigerians in praying for the team’s victory and looks forward to receiving them in Abuja with the championship trophy.

     

  • Nigeria qualifies for AWC final

    Nigeria qualifies for AWC final

    … Secures World Cup ticket

    Nigeria’s Super Falcons on Wednesday qualified for next year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup after defeating South Africa 2-1 in African Women’s Championship semi-final in Namibia.

    The top three teams from this tournament will represent Africa at next year’s tournament in Canada, africanFootball.com reports.

    Nigeria will now await the winners of the other semi-final between Cameroon and Cote d’Ivoire to determine Africa’s best women’s team for 2014.

    It was a sweet revenge for the Falcons, who fell 0-1 to the South Africans at same stage of the competition two years ago in Equatorial Guinea.

    Asisat Oshoala scored in the 38th and 45th minutes to give Nigeria the lead.

    The Most Valuable Player of the recent FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Canada has now scored three goals at this AWC.

    Jane van Wyk pulled a goal back for Banyana Banyana in the 68th minute to keep the encounter on the edge till the final whistle.

  • Rivers Angels Asisat Oshoala prepared for AWC

    Rivers Angels Asisat Oshoala prepared for AWC

    RIVERSAngels new poster girl Asisat Oshoala is one of the 30 players that have been summoned to the national team camp ahead of the African Women Championship(AWC) which begins in Namibia next month.

    Few weeks ago, the offensive all-rounder was in the spotlight after her seven goals contributed to the Falconets qualification for the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup finals.

    And the Golden Ball and Golden Shoe winner of the competition held in Canada has borrowed the motto from the Girls Guide, saying she is prepared for the start of camping despite recently appearing for the Nigeria Under 20s.

    “I went to the African Women Championship two years ago, and I played a game against Ivory Coast. I have been part of the senior national team in the past, I played the qualifiers against Rwanda.

    “Yes, I am prepared to join the camp. It is my work and I am prepared for the competition,”Asisat Oshoala told allnigeriasoccer.com.

    The 19 – year – old is studying offers from clubs overseas, and she has dropped a big hint that she will switch clubs after the AWC ends.

    “There are teams abroad that want me but I want to remain with Rivers Angels until the end of the season. After the AWC, I will sit down with my agent and consider the options available, ” she concluded.

    From the 30 players that were told to report at Serob Hotel Abuja on Sunday, 14 are from Rivers Angels including Gloria Ofoegbu and Uchechi Sunday.

    List Of invited players

    GOALKEEPERS: Ibubeleye Whyte (Rivers Angels),Precious Dede (Ibom Queens),Charity John (Rivers Angels), Juliet Obi (State House FC),Ohieriaku Christy (Oshogbo Queens)

    DEFENDERS:  Blessing Edoho (Pelican Stars),Ebere Ngozi (Rivers Angels),Mariam Ibrahim (Nasarawa Amazons), Josephine Chukwunonye (Rivers Angels), Onome Ebi (FK Minsk,Belarus), Osinachi Ohale (Houston Dash,USA), Ugochi Njoku (Rivers Angels),Gloria Ofoegbu (Rivers Angels),Sarah Nnodim (Delta Queens)

    MIDFIELDERS: Ngozi Okobi (Delta Queens), Onyinyechi Ohadugha (Rivers Angels), Chiwendu Ihezuo (Pelican Stars), Stella Mbachu (Rivers Angels), Asisat Oshoala (Rivers Angels),Cecilia Nku (Rivers Angels), Evelyn Nwabuoku (Rivers Angels), Halimat Ayinde (Delta Queens), Loveth Ayila (Rivers Angels), Gloria Iroka (Rivers Angels), Rosemary Okezie (Nasarawa Amazon).

    ATTACKERS: Desire Oparanozie (En Avent De Guingamp,France) , Francisca Ordega (Pitea IFF,Sweden),  Esther Sunday (FK Minsk,Belarus), Uchechi Sunday (Rivers Angels), Pepetua Nkwocha (Sunana SK,Sweden)

  • Nigeria unveils AWC squad

    Nigeria unveils AWC squad

    The Super Falcons coach, Edwin Okon, has announced his final squad of 21 players for the African Women Championship slated to hold from October 11-25 in Namibia

    Six foreign-based and 15 home-based players made the final Super Falcons’ list for the eight nations’ competition in the Southern African nation, Goal reports.

    The squad is composed of three goalkeepers, six defenders, six midfielders and six strikers.

    As expected, France-based Desire Oparanozie topped the list of six foreign based stars that also include veteran Perpetua Nkwocha, Onome Ebi, Ohale Osinachi, Esther Sunday and Francesca Ordega.

    Skipper Evelyn Nwabuoku and 2014 FIFA U-20 Women World Cup best player, Asisat Oshoala led the league of home-based players that scaled through.

    Others are – Ngozi Ebere, Ugo Njoku, Josephine Chukwunonye, Gloria Ofoegbu, Nku Cecilia, Halimat Ayinde, Onyinyechi Ohadugha and Christy Ohiariaku.

    However, the nine dropped players include Sarah Nnodim, Uchechi Sunday, Ihezuo Chiwendu, Loveth Ayila, Rosemary Okezie, Blessing Edoho, Mariam Ibrahim, Charity John and Juliet Obi.

    Nigeria plays in group A alongside Cote d’Ivoire, Zambia and hosts Namibia.

     

    Full list:

    Goalkeepers – Precious Dede (Ibom Angels), Ibubeleye White (Rivers Angels), Christy Ohieriaku (Osun Babes)

    Defenders – Osinachi Ohale (Houston Dash, United States), Josephine Chukwunonye (Rivers Angels), Gloria Ofoegbu (Rivers Angels), Onome Ebi ( FK Minsk, Belarus), Ngozi Ebere (Rivers Angels), Ugo Njoku (Rivers Angels)

    Midfielders – Evelyn Nwabuoku (Rivers Angels), Onyinyechi Ohadugha (Rivers Angels), Gloria Iroka (Rivers Angels), Cecilia Nku (Rivers Angels), Ayinde Halimat (Delta Queens), Ngozi Okobi (Delta Queens)

    Forwards – Desire Oparanozie (En-Avent Guingamp, France), Perpetua Nkwocha (Sunana SK, Sweden), Esther Sunday (FK Minsk, Belarus), Asisat Oshoala (Rivers Angels), Stella Mbachu (Rivers Angels), Francisca Ordega (Pitea IFF, Sweden)

  • Akide tasks Falcons on AWC

    Akide tasks Falcons on AWC

    Ex-Super Falcons star, Mercy Akide-Udoh, has warned the team not to underrate any of its opponents in the African Women’s Championship (AWC) after draws for the competition was held in Namibia at the weekend.

    The two-time African Player of the Year and member of FIFA’s Football Committee lamented the fact that the team who was once a dominant force on the continent has not shown consistency in recent years.

    She however urged the girls to put up a determined performance to ensure they bring the trophy back to Nigeria.

    “The girls should not look at it like they can walk over any body. Everybody now knows that anybody is beatable,” she told KickOffNigeria.com

    “So they should bring their A game. We need that trophy back. We have not been consistent over the last few years and we need to get our rhythm back.

    “But we must respect opponents and play every game like it’s the final because all the teams in Africa are improving and if the team  wants to return to being champions, the players must show improvement,” she said.

    Nigeria has been drawn against Namibia , Zambia and Cote d’ Ivoire in group A , while group B has South Africa, Cameroon ,Ghana and Algeria.

     

  • AWC: Ebi arrives for Rwanda clash

    AWC: Ebi arrives for Rwanda clash

    Belarus’ Minsk FC defender, Onome Ebi , on Saturday arrived the Abuja camp of Super Falcons ahead of May 24 Africa Women’s Championship (AWC) qualifier against the She-Amavubi of Rwanda in Kigali, supersport.com reports.

    Ebi and Turkey -based striker, Desire Oparanozie are the only two among the eight invited Europe-based professionals to arrive for the crucial game against the Central African side.

    Super Falcons head coach, Edwin Okon, said he is satisfied with the presence of the duo and other domestic players in camp for the all important two-legged final qualifiers against the Rwandans.

    “Onome Ebi arrived the Falcons camp this evening (Saturday), she asked for permission to come in today against Friday’s deadline.

    “Already Desire Oparanozie has been with us for the past two days, I think we’re satisfied with the two as we’re no longer expecting any other player for the first leg tie on May 24 in Kigali, Rwanda.

    “Oparanozie played the two friendlies against the local sides which we won and she showed her characteristic sparks in attack and blended perfectly with the ones we’ve in camp.

    “Ebi looks fit and ready for the battle too. We’ll intensify our preparations with test matches as we progress towards the match day,” the Falcons head coach told supersport.com.

     

  • AWC FALLOUT: FALCONS’ OUSTER UNFORTUNATE -MAIGARI

    AWC FALLOUT: FALCONS’ OUSTER UNFORTUNATE -MAIGARI

    NFF President Aminu Maigari has bemoaned the woeful performance of the senior women national team, Super Falcons at the just concluded African Women Championship held in Equatorial Guinea.

    Speaking to SportingLife on his way to Miami, Florida, USA on Sunday, the former Bauchi State FA Chairman said: “This is the worst assemblage of senior women team Nigeria has ever had. The annoying aspect of it is that the girls were well motivated, and they were given whatever they requested for, I never knew what went wrong.

    “We would have to wait for the technical report from the Head Coach before we would know the next line of action. The annoying aspect is that this debacle is coming when our junior teams excelled at the world level.

    “We had expected the senior team to capitalized on that to rule Africa again, but all that has now become mere wishes. It is very unfotunate, and unbelievable.” Maigari led Super Eagles delegation to friendly against Venezuela.

  • Falcons defeat Cameroon in AWC clash

    Falcons defeat Cameroon in AWC clash

    A late Perpetua Nwkocha goal on Monday ensured Nigeria’s Super Falcons avenged the 2012 Olympics qualifiers defeat to Cameroon.

    The Nigerian girls defeated their Cameroonian counterparts 2-1 in one of the matches of this year’s African Women Championship in Equatorial Guinea.

    MTNFootball.com reports that the water-logged pitch adversely affected the standard of play and denied both sides a chance to play a free-flowing game and express themselves.

    The Nigerians started the game on an impressive note as they dominated the first stanza and deservely took the lead at the tail end of the first half when Onyinyechi Ohagugha fired a canon from 20 yards.

    The Indomitable Lioness of Cameroon fought back on resumption, but it was the Nigerians who would have doubled the lead in 49th minute when Stella Mbachu’s 19-yard shot hit the crossbar.

    Cameroon then drew level via a 53rd minute penalty converted by skipper Patience Mani after a Nigerian defender committed an infringement inside the box.

    They then dominated the better part of second half and would have taken the lead when Louni fired wide in front of an open net after Precious Dede in goal for Nigeria spilled the ball.

    Substitute Ngozi Okobi brought life to Nigeria attack and her pullout found the durable Perpetua Nkwocha at far post to connect home with a diving header in the 90th minute to seal a hard-earned victory for the African champions.

    In Sunday’s opening game, hosts Equatorial Guinea pipped South Africa 1-0.