The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Dennerby

  • World Cup: No mental block for Falcons — Dennerby

    Head Coach of the Super Falcons, Thomas Dennerby has assured that the African champions will not suffer any mental block when confronting European opposition at the FIFA World Cup finals in France.

    Speaking during a press conference preceding the WAFU Women’s Tournament starting in Abidjan next week, Dennerby said he believes the Super Falcons have now gained enough confidence to stand their ground against European, American and Asian opposition any time the need arises.

    Read also: Thomas Dennerby: ‘My Thailand home, best place for relaxation’

    “The team now has the confidence to play against any team, whichever continent they come from. That is the benefit of the several training camps and friendly tournaments we have had this year. I definitely don’t think that it’s some kind of mental block when we lost to Canada in Spain. We know the reason why we lost the game and the biggest lessons are not to do tactics that the team has not practised in training, and also to stop playing only when the referee’s whistle goes for the end of the game.

  • Dennerby: Nigeria learned ‘good lessons’ at Cyprus Cup

    Nigeria women’s coach Thomas Dennerby says there were good lessons learned from his team’s campaign at the Cyprus Cup.

    The African champions finished seventh out of 12 teams at the week-long warm-up tournament ahead of the FIFA Women’s World Cup.

    After an opening defeat to Austria (4-1), they edged Slovakia (4-3), lost to Belgium (1-0), and finished with a win over Thailand (3-0) in a play-off for seventh place.

    “We lost to Austria but we recovered well against Slovakia, and if we had put away the chances we had after scoring our third goal, there would have been no way for them to equalise.  It is good thing that we won in the end. I am happy that we were able to come here and participate,” Dennerby said.

    The Super Falcons, who finished third at the four-team China Cup in January, are set to play in their eighth consecutive World Cup this summer.

    “The lessons are good for the team, just like we also learnt a lot at the tournament in China,” Dennerby added.

    After mixed results in 2019, Dennerby, who is set to become the first foreign coach to both qualify for and lead Nigeria at the World Cup, is focusing on the positives.

    “We learned a lot of lessons in China and Cyprus that will positively help us do better in France. It was a great opportunity for us to know where we are, our biggest strength, where we can be and what we have to fix.”

    The nine times African champions have been drawn in Group A alongside hosts France, 1995 winners Norway and South Korea. They are the only African team to have played in all seven tournaments since the first Women’s World Cup in 1991, but have failed to translate their continental dominance onto the world stage.

    Their best performance came when reaching the quarter-finals in 1999, losing narrowly to Brazil. They have been eliminated in the group stage at the last four tournaments.

  • Ghana 2018: Dennerby names Super Falcons’ final squad

    Head Coach Thomas Dennerby has released the list of 21 players who will fly Nigeria’s flag at the 11th Women Africa Cup of Nations finals in Ghana. The championship starts next week, with Cup holders Nigeria, heading Group B of the competition, to contend with South Africa, Zambia and Kenya.

    The eight-time champions, currently at the world-renowned Sol Beni, Abidjan (Academy of 1998 African champions ASEC Mimosas FC), for an eight-day final camping, will travel to Ghana on Wednesday, 14th November.

    Nigeria takes on South Africa on November 18, before matches against Zambia and Kenya in Cape Coast.

    Hosts Ghana, Algeria, Mali and Cameroun, will sort things out in Group A in Accra.

     

    THE 21 FALCONS FOR GHANA 2018

    Goalkeepers: Tochukwu Oluehi (Rivers Angels); Christy Ohiaeriaku (Confluence Queens); Chiamaka Nnadozie (Rivers Angels)

    Defenders: Glory Ogbonna (Ibom Angels); Sarah Nnodim (Nasarawa Amazons); Ngozi Ebere (Barcelona FC, Cyprus); Faith Michael (Pitea IF, Sweden); Onome Ebi (Henan Huisanhang, China); Osinachi Ohale (Vaxjo DFF, Sweden); Josephine Chukwunonye (Asarum AIF, Sweden)

    Midfielders: Amarachi Okoronkwo (Nasarawa Amazons); Ngozi Okobi (Eskiltuna UTD, Sweden); Rita Chikwelu (Krstianstand DFF, Sweden); Halimat Ayinde (Asarum AIF, Sweden)

    Forwards: Anam Imo (Nasarawa Amazons); Rasheedat Ajibade (FC Robo Queens); Asisat Oshoala (Dalian Quanjian, China); Francisca Ordega (Washington Spirit, USA); Desire Oparanozie (En Avant Guingamp, France); Chinaza Uchendu (SC Braga, Portugal); Chinwendu Ihezuo (Biik Kazygurt, Kazakhstan).

  • Dennerby praises Falcons’ camp facility

    Super Falcons’ Coach, Thomas Dennerby has praised the camp facility provided by the leadership of the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF for the team in preparation for the Africa Women’s Nations Cup to be held in Ghana, AOIFootball.com reports.

    Dennerby, who was a spectator at the finals of the 2018 Women Aiteo Cup also commended the champions, Rivers Angel for their tactical display.

    Speaking on his rating of the quality of the game, Dennerby said: “It was a good final and both teams could have won it. I think in open play, Ibom was a bit quicker, a bit more attacking players with more passes. Rivers Angel was playing more straight and of course, they were playing their fourth so very tough to compete with, very tough with set pieces. They created a lot of chances from that and of course, they scored”.

    Dennerby said he was also impressed with the Rivers Angels goalkeeper, Chiamaka Nnadozie’s development, stating that after she conceded goals against France in a friendly, she has shown much improvement.

    “I told everybody involved in women football in February that she is one for the future. I think she has improved well. Now the next step is not to have it long, the next step is to have it exactly where you want it. But she is an extremely good goalkeeper for her age,” said Dennerby.

    Responding to question on the Super Falcons group in the upcoming Women AFCON, the Coach, whilst acknowledging that it is a very tough group, said he believes the team will progress to the semifinals.

    “First of all, I think we have a good chance to reach the semifinal. It’s a tough game, the first one against South Africa. I know and you probably also know that they have played a lot of games to prepare the team. We know that it will be a tough game.