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Tag: Dedevbo

  • Dedevbo hails Falconets as Ihezuo weeps

    Head Coach Peter Dedevbo on Sunday evening showered encomiums on his Nigeria U-20 girls, even as the Falconets crashed out of the 2016 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup despite two wins out of three matches.

    The Falconets’ dreams of advancing in the tournament was truncated despite a 2-1 victory over Spain that saw them finishing on six points as Japan and Spain.

    For Dedevbo, his girls deserved all the accolades because they proved themselves worthy ambassadors of Africa’s most populous nation.

    The 2014 World Cup silver medal –winning coach noted that the girls gave their best in flying Nigeria and Africa’s flag but it was unfortunate that they were so cruelly eliminated, despite finishing with the same six points as the two other teams (Japan and Spain) that advanced to the last eight.

    “Sincerely speaking, you all are stars and I am proud of you. Despite the circumstances, you were not disgraced. We had lofty dreams of making it to the final or even going one better than we took our country in Canada four years ago, but it was not to be. Collectively and individually, we worked towards achieving that goal, but our best could not take us that far,” Dedevbo said.

    However, the joy of victory was shortlived for the Falconets as Japan’s routing of Canada in the other Group B match meant Japan and Spain advanced and Nigeria would go home. The Nigerian delegation will return home on Wednesday, November 23.

    Meanwhile, stand-in captain and scorer of the winning goal, Chiwendu Ihezuo wept profusely after Nigeria’s early exit from the 2016 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup on Sunday.

    Ihezuo, who won the FIFA Live Your Goals Player of the Match award in the win over Spain, couldn’t control her emotions as she broke down at the post match press conference.

    “I had high hopes for this tournament. I even set a target of six goals for myself, but my dreams have been blown away like dust in the winds. I admit that our predicament today was as a result of the six goals we conceeded against Japan. I kept hoping for a turn-around that would see us progress in the competition,” Ihezuo sobbed.

  • National honours for Dedevbo, Oshoala

    National honours for Dedevbo, Oshoala

    • Falconets’ captain, Eaglets’ coaches too
    • The Nation man Morakinyo Abodunrin on the list

    Nigeria’s Under-20 Women’s National Team Coach, Peter Dedevbo, who led the Falconets to second place at last month’s 2014 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Canada, has been listed for national honour by the federal government.

    The list obtained by NationSport on Thursday was signed by Dr. Tunde Adeyemo, a director at the Special Duties Office on behalf of the Secretary to the Federal Government, Anyim Pius Anyim and has been approved by President Goodluck Jonathan.

    The awardees cut across every sector of the national economy with the sporting fraternity accounting for 39 recipients who include FIFA golden girl, Asisat Oshoala, Falconets’ captain, Patience Okaeme and Commonwealth gold medalists, Blessing Okagbare and Ese Brume. They will be joined by other Commonwealth gold medalists that brought honour to the country at the Glasgow Games in July.

    Dedevbo is to be conferred with the Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON) at a ceremony billed for September 29 at the International Conference Centre in Abuja.

    The Falconets coach owes his breakthrough in the round leather game to Moncton, a city in Canada where the girls qualified for the final of the tournament which they lost to Germany.

    Assistant coaches of the U-17 national team, Emmanuel Amuneke, Emeka Amadi and Nduka Ugbade who won the 2013 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Dubai, will join Dedevbo on the podium. Both players and backroom staff of the U-17 national team which includes the team’s media officer, Morakinyo Abodunrin, who is also an Assistant Editor in The Nation Newspaper, are also recipients.

    Surprisingly, the name of embattled President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Aminu Maigari, who has been credited with the successes of the national teams in recent years, was conspicuously missing.

  • AHEAD WORLD CUP FINAL: I wanted France —Dedevbo

    AHEAD WORLD CUP FINAL: I wanted France —Dedevbo

    Falconets chief coach, Peter Dedevbo has said he would have preferred playing France in Sunday’s final of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup because it would have been an opportunity to seek revenge.

    Dedevbo, while in charge of the U-17 women’s team, lost to France in the knockout stage of the FIFA Women’s competition in 2012.

    “That is football,it is a game of battle all the way. Some of the players in the present French team were in Azerbaijan two years ago.So,l do not think it would have been out of place to meet them,” he told SportingLife at the team’s Sheraton hotel in Montreal.

    Since there will be no such opportunity, Dedevbo is fully concentrated ahead of the final match of the competition against Germany.

    “That is a match everybody is looking forward too because of the pedigree of both teams which is a repeat of the 2010 final, another opportunity for Nigeria to avenge their loss,” he said.

    The team trained yesterday morning with more attention given to set pieces and penalties with each player taking their turn.

    Nigeria has conceded six goals in the tournament but have scored 11 with three in the record books for the fastest.

  • Rain disrupts Falconets training

    Rain disrupts Falconets training

    • We must play as a team — Dedevbo
    • Thanksgiving service held for players

    Falconets Chief Coach, Peter Dedevbo has pleaded with his girls to approach today’s semi final clash against North Korea with a collective spirit.

    Dedevbo, who gave the talk in between the team’s training session on Monday in Moncton, said the stage which the team had reached made the advice necessary.

    “We cannot afford to throw this opportunity away having gotten this far. This is history before us and we have to take it with all that we have,” he said.

    “You do not get this far only to become selfish with the ball.This is the time you have to realise that you need to play as a team,” he said.

    Dedevbo reminded the players of how the Koreans play as a collective unit which he said has been their strength.

    “From what we have seen of the Koreans, they are mobile, can’t be intimidated and are good on the counter and above all they play as a team,” he said.

    The team’s training which lasted over an hour was marred by rain for about 20 minutes. The team had to rush into the dressing room but when it subsided the players returned to the pitch. Training commenced at 3pm.

    Later in the day the team had a thanksgiving service at the Redeemed Christian Church of God, in Moncton which was to appreciate God’s role in their campaign.

    Interestingly, a clip from a film titled Wings to fly was played for the team which centred on a team that was on the verge of making history.

    The service, which was short, was attended by the Nigeria community in Moncton which is a little city in New Brunswick with a population of 100,000 people.

    The Nigeria community has been hailed by everyone for bringing life and colour to the stadium.

    Nigeria’s match is scheduled for 9pm (Nigeria time) today. The other semi final between Germany and France will be played in Montreal also today.

  • Dedevbo: We need to make some corrections

    Dedevbo: We need to make some corrections

    The Super Falconets of Nigeria have arrived in Moncton as they prepare for Sunday’s quarterfinals against New Zealand at the ongoing FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Canada.

    The team topped Group C with seven points and is taking on New Zealand, who came second in Group D.

    The Falconets  had a training session on Friday morning at the Harrison Trimple High School pitch.

    All the players are in good health and Osarenoma Igbinovia who was absent in the match against England due to injury, returned and joined the team in training.

    This is the first time New Zealand has qualified for the knock out stage of the U-20 World Cup. They defeated Costa Rica 3-0 to pick their quarter final ticket.

    The Falconets, on the other hand, have made progress in its previous appearances reaching the finals in Germany in 2010 and the semifinals in 2012.

    Head coach, Peter Dedevbo said he needs to re-organise the defence before the game against the New Zealanders.

    “We have to make some corrections in our defence. We had some problems during our last match as one of our defenders had to be moved to play in midfield because Osarenoma Igbinovia was absent but we thank God she is back,” he said.

  • Dedevbo admits defensive frailties

    Dedevbo admits defensive frailties

    Falconets head coach, Peter Dedevbo, declared after guiding his team to a 2-1 win over England in the FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup that the Nigerian team “had problems” defensively.

    Dedevbo explained that his team’s defensive issues made sure that England pushed them to their limit though he is happy with the outcome.

    The Nigerian coach said he remained confident that the Falconets will turn the tie around after going one goal down to Nikita Parris’ effort in the fifth minute.

    Loveth Ayinla levelled the score before half time and Asisat Oshoala secured the full points with the winner from 12 yards to help Nigeria progress to the knockout stage.

    “It was a fantastic match. We had problems in the first half with our defence and the English team kept my girls under a lot of pressure. But I knew my team would come back and they came back very well. I liked the character of my team today very much. We will now start right away to prepare for the quarter-finals,” said Dedevbo to Fifa.com after the Falconets’ 2-1 win on Thursday morning [Nigerian time].

    However, England coach, Mo Marley believes “the two penalties were the significant turning points” in the match.

    England’s Bethany Mead had the chance to give her team a 2-1 lead in the second half after Parris was brought down in Nigeria’s goal area. But Mead missed from 12 yards while Oshoala took her own chance when the Falconets were awarded a penalty just before the hour mark.

    “I think we started exceptionally well. Once we got the goal I think the girls kind of settled on that. It’s like the Mexican game where we backed up a bit and the team didn’t manage to push forward. Obviously the two penalties were the significant turning points. If you have an opportunity, you have to be clinical. But I think their equaliser was the big psychological turning point. After they equalised, you could see the body language of the players and how they reacted,” Marley told Fifa.com.

    The African champions will now confront New Zealand in the quarterfinals of the tournament at the Moncton Stadium in Moncton this Sunday.

  • Dedevbo disappointed with draw

    Dedevbo disappointed with draw

    Nigeria coach Peter Dedevo has said he was disappointed not to start the FIFA U20 World Cup in Canada with a win after his team forced Mexico to a 1-1 draw early on Thursday.

    “There are some matches that, although you expect to win, you can’t manage to do so, and I’m a little bit disappointed today,” said the Falconets coach. “But it was a good fight between the two teams.

    “I have to say that Mexico’s goalkeeper, Cecilia Santiago, was impressive and produced a good performance.”

    He further said he wants his team to improve in front of goal ahead of their next game at the weekend against Korea Republic.

    “Looking ahead to the next match I want to work on every position on the field – goalkeeper, defence, midfield, but the most important thing we need to improve on is our finishing,” remarked the former Nigeria U17 female coach..

    The other Group C game between England and Korea Republic also finished in a 1-1 draw.

    Two years ago,Nigeria eliminated Mexico in the quarterfinal of the same competition when they won 1-0.

    Fabiola Ibarra put Mexico ahead in the 23rd minute when she slotted home from 20 metres after a poor clearance by the Nigeria goalkeeper.

    Osarenoma Igbinovia drew the Falconets level three minutes from half time when she capitalized on a defensive blunder by Mexico.

    Nigeria had several chances mainly from Asisat Oshoala after the resumption to edge this encounter but they were either denied by the impressive goalkeeper Cecelia Santiago or failed to finish well.

  • Dedevbo raves about Ihezuo

    Flamingoes coach, Peter Dedevbo has said he is not disappointed that CAF chose Equatorial Guinea’s Genoveva Anonma ahead of Chinwendu Ihezuo for Player of the Year award.

    The African football body in Accra, Ghana on Thursday night named the experienced striker who plies her trade in the German Bundesliga side, Jena as the 2012 African Player of the Year for women.

    Anonma beat Nigeria’s youngster, Ihezuo and South Africa’ s Portia Modise for the coveted award.

    Dedevbo said the Pelican Stars’ goal poacher has years ahead of her insisting she is the future African football.

    “Caf has their criteria for the award of woman footballer of the year, I’m not disappointed that the Equatorial Guinean Genoveva Anonma was picked ahead of Chinwendu Ihezuo.

    “Ihezuo is a young girl, 16-year old and for such a young girl to have gone to the World Cup to score six goals shows her pedigree and I think she is the future African football if she continues that way.

    “Her conqueror, Anonma is experienced, plays professional football in Germany and did very well to help her country win her second African title.

    “The decision to award the Equatorial Guinean player the footballer of the year is right but I tell you Ihezuo will dominate the award in a very short time,” said the Delta Queens coach to supersport.com.

    However, Dedevbo is not considering the striker for a switch to his side in the coming season.

    “Delta Queens are a star-studded side, and I won’t want to pull her out to destroy her career as she may not fit in or be able to displace any of my experienced strikers.

    “I monitor her progress and will continue to offer her career advice.

    “We’re on break to resume second week of January and then we’ll review our team strength put some on the market and recruit new ones.

    “We always go for unknown players, nurture and bring them to limelight.

    “Winning the double will dominate our target in the coming season,” he said.