The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Falcons

  • AWC 2014: Falcons know opponents July 19

    AWC 2014: Falcons know opponents July 19

    The draw for the final tournament of the Ninth African Women Championship will be held on Saturday 19th July 2014.

    The draw is scheduled for the Namibian capital, Windhoek at 19:00 local time (17:00GMT). It will be held at the Windhoek Country Club Resort.

    Eight nations are in the draw, Algeria, Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, Zambia and hosts Namibia.

    The final tournament will be held from 11th through 25th October and serves as the continental qualifier for the 2015 FIFA Women World Cup to be held in Canada.

  • Falcons are No 1 in Africa

    Falcons are No 1 in Africa

    The Super Falcons of Nigeria have once again been rated the top team in Africa as the March edition of the FIFA rankings were released yesterday.

    The United States remain the top rated women team in the world, followed by Germany in 2nd and Asian powerhouses Japan in 3rd.

    Brazil dropped two places into 6th, with France in 4th and Sweden in 5th.

    Nigeria’s Super Falcons remain in 34th place, still the top team in Africa, and are sandwiched between Poland and Argentina.

    Cameroon are in 49th place and second in Africa,followed by Ghana who are rated 50th in the world.

    The other teams that make up the Top 10 in Africa are: South Africa (52), Equatorial Guinea (53), Ivory Coast (68), Tunisia (71), Algeria (74), Morocco (77), and Egypt (82).

  • SIERRA LEONE’S WITHDRAWAL: Don’t relent, Okon tells Falcons

    SIERRA LEONE’S WITHDRAWAL: Don’t relent, Okon tells Falcons

    • Team’s camping on hold

    Super Falcons’ acting head coach, Edwin Okon has welcomed the decision of the Leone Queens of Sierra Leone to withdraw from the Namibia 2014 African Women’s Championship (AWC) qualifiers billed for next month but stressed that his players won’t be carried away by that.

    The Falcons were billed to host the Queens on February 15 at the Abuja National Stadium and travel to Free Town a fortnight later for the second leg but a letter from the Sierra Leone Football Federation to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has put preparations for that on hold.

    Sierra Leone’s Football House had in the letter sent to the NFF and CAF stated that they won’t be travelling to Nigeria because of financial constraints and thus offered their withdrawal for the Falcons to move to the next and final round of the qualifiers.

    Nigeria will await the winner of Rwanda versus Kenya encounter and from there plan the best formation to beat either of the two East Africans.

    Okon told SportingLife that there was nothing new with Sierra Leonean’s withdrawal and that the Falcons’ players and officials would have loved to face them as they continue their rebuilding process.

    He said even though the players and officials have been alerted of the development and as such won’t need to report to camp on January 13, they won’t be relaxing at all as they seek a berth to the African Women’s Championship (AWC) slated for 11th-25th October in Namibia.

    “We have heard the news of Sierra Leone’s withdrawal and it is no new thing to me. The condition that necessitated their pulling out could happen to any country with lean purse for sports.

    “We were in the process of resuming camping again from January 13 before we got this information. It would have been nice to play against them but we can’t help it since they have already pulled out.

    “We will continue with our own preparation as we await the winner of Rwanda and Kenya. It is our target to qualify for Namibia 2014 AWC and also to make meaningful impact. We are on course,” Okon, who also doubles as the head coach of Rivers Angels, told SportingLife.

    The AWC will be used as the qualifying campaign for the FIFA Women’s World Cup scheduled for Canada next year and the first three countries at the end of the 9th edition of the women’s soccer fiesta will make the trip to North America.

  • Namibia 2014: Falcons reach final round, as Sierra Leone withdraws

    Namibia 2014: Falcons reach final round, as Sierra Leone withdraws

    Nigeria’s Super Falcons have reached the final round of qualifying series for the 2014 African Women Championship, after Sierra Leone announced her withdrawal from the clash with the six-time African champions.

    Both teams were due to square off in a qualifying duel in February but Sierra Leone’s voluntary exit means the Falcons will now have to wait for the winner of the fixture between Kenya and Rwanda to know their final round opponents.

    In a letter dated 9th January, addressed to the General Secretary of the Confederation of African Football and copied the NFF, the Acting General Secretary of the Sierra Leone Football Association wrote: “I write with regrets to inform you of our decision to withdraw our National Female football team from participating in the aforementioned

    Championship scheduled to kick off mid-February 2014.

    “This decision which was reached at our last Executive Committee is due to the present financial status of our Football Association which makes it difficult to honour our proposed fixture against Nigeria in February this year.”

    It would be recalled that the U-20 Women National Team, Falconets walloped their counterparts from Sierra Leone 10-0 in Abuja in the first round of their 2014 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup qualification series in October 2013, and followed up with a 6-0 hammering of their hosts in Freetown on 9th November.

    The 9th African Women Championship finals will be held in Namibia between 11th – 25th October, 2014.

  • Falcons coach to invite 45 players to camp

    Falcons coach to invite 45 players to camp

    NAMIBIA 2014 AFRICAN WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP QUALIFIERS

    •Warns Falconets to take second leg seriously

     

    Acting chief coach of the Super Falcons, Edwin Okon has stated that he would invite as many as 45 players to camp in Abuja ahead of the African Women’s Championship (AWC) qualifiers against Sierra Leone slated for February next year.

    Nigeria will host the Leone Queens on February 14, 2014 in Abuja before travelling to Freetown for the return leg on the weekend of 28 February to March 2, 2014 to seek a second round ticket.

    The AWC will serve as the qualifiers for the FIFA Women’s World Cup which Canada is billed to host in 2015. The first three countries in Namibia, 2014 AWC will hoist the African flag in Canada.

    The Super Falcons will meet the winner of the tango between Rwanda and Kenya in May and June next year if they qualify as expected against Sierra Leone in February, 2014.

    The acting head coach of Nigeria’s senior women’s national team told SportingLife that he would doing substitution by elimination when the camping resumes very soon.

    He also pointed out that though he would be starting with the domestic players, his doors are not shut on the foreign-based players as he tries to raise a formidable team for the country.

    “The camp for the 2014 AWC qualifier will be open soon and I have it in mind of calling up like 40 to 45 players. I will be decamping those that couldn’t measure up while I will still be on the look out for capable replacement.

    “I will start with the players I am used to but my doors are not totally closed on foreign-based players and others discovered in the Nigeria School Sports Competition, National Sports Festival and other competitions.

    “I am on the lookout for players that will be able to make Super Falcons to return to the formidable squad of old and wherever I get them doesn’t really matter to me,” Okon told SportingLife.

    Okon, who is also the head coach of Rivers Angels of Port Harcourt, has also admonished Nigeria’s U20 Women’s side, Falconets to take the second leg against the Tunisia U20 team seriously before and during their game in Tunis.

    Falconets whitewashed Tunisia 4-0 in the first leg of the FIFA U20 Women’s Qualifiers played in Abuja last Saturday through goals from Uchechi Sunday(hat-trick) and Patience Okaeme.

    Okon, who led same Falconets to the semi finals of the World Cup in Japan in 2012, warned that complacency could be the country’s undoing in the return leg if the U20 team believed they have qualified for the third round already even before the second leg is played.

  • Falcons drop two places in latest FIFA ranking

    Falcons drop two places in latest FIFA ranking

    The Falcons, Women’s National Team representing Nigeria, have been ranked in the 34th position in the latest FIFA/Coca-Cola Women’s World Ranking published by the official website of FIFA on Friday.

    Compared to their previous position, the Falcons have dropped two places but still remain the best on the continent ahead of Cameroon, Ghana, South Africa and Equatorial Guinea.

    United States continue to top the rankings followed by Germany, Japan, Brazil and France in that order.

    The next ranking will be published by Fifa.com on March 28, 2014.

    Top 10 African Teams

    1) Nigeria (34th)

    2) Cameroon (47th)

    3) Ghana (48th)

    4) South Africa (50th)

    5) Equatorial Guinea (51st)

    6) Ivory Coast (66th)

    7) Morocco (68th)

    8) Senegal (79th)

    9) Zimbabwe(82nd)

    10) Ethiopia (88th)

  • Japan friendly: Rivers Angels dominate Falcons list

    Japan friendly: Rivers Angels dominate Falcons list

    Ten Players from Rivers Angels will make up the 21-man Super Falcons squad that will be facing Japan in a couple of friendly matches to be played next week.

    Forty players were invited by interim coach Edwin Okon for preparations in late August in Abuja but only 35 honoured the call that has been reduced to 21.

    The domination is an indication of the club’s strength in the domestic women league.

    In order not to miss their flight scheduled for today, players and officials have been in Lagos since Monday.

    Last Sunday, Angels defeated Nasarawa Amazons 3-0 in the final of the women’s federations Cup to retain the trophy. Okon, who guided Nigeria’s U-20 women team to the fourth position at last year’s FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, is also the club’s chief coach.

    The players who will make it to Japan include;

    Goalkeepers: Ibebuleye Whyte (Rivers Angels), Charity John (Rivers Angels) and Sangonuga Ibijoke (Nasarawa Amazons)

    Defenders: Ngozi Ebere (Rivers Angels), Blessing Edoho (Pelican Stars), Gladys Abasi (Ibom Queens), Josephine Chukwunonye (Rivers Angels), Gloria Ofoegbu (Rivers Angels), Rebecca Kalu (Rivers Angels), Osinachi Ohale (Delta Queens), Maria Nwoko (Delta Queens)

    Midfielders: Asisat Oshoala (Rivers Angels), Evelyn Nwabuoku (Rivers Angels), Onyinyechi Ohadugha (Rivers Angels), Ngozi Okobi (Delta Queens), Esther Sunday (Pelican Stars), Halimat Ayinde (Delta Queens)

    Strikers: Remilekun Omamuli (Confluence Queens), Yetunde Aluko (Sunshine Queens), Uchechi Sunday (Rivers Angels), Tawa Ishola (Ibom Angels)

    The Falcons are expected back in the country next week.

  • Falcons, other female teams get new coaches August 20

    Falcons, other female teams get new coaches August 20

    Super Falcons and other junior national teams in the female categories will have their substantive coaches by August 20, 2013 when the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF)’s Technical Committee sits to discuss the vacant posts at Abuja.

    The Chairman of the Technical Committee, Barr. Christopher Green told SportingLife that the committee would have a holistic appraisal of the coaches short-listed for various national teams’ assignment, before they are chosen to head or form the technical crew.

    He stated that no one has been anointed for any post and that media hype or speculation only ends there as the committee sits to have a scrutiny of those selected for various posts.

    He added that the Technical Committee would not be biased or partisan in the attempt to change the fortunes of the country’s various national teams through the appointment of duly credible coaches.

    “By August 20th, the Technical Committee will meet in Abuja to deliberate on the way forward by choosing coaches for various national teams especially for the female teams and probably the Flying Eagles as well.

    “We have neither chosen nor picked anyone for any position. Media speculation only ends there. It is until the committee sits that a ratification can be made. We won’t succumb to internal lobbying or pressure from any of the short-listed coaches. What is paramount is getting good coaches for the various female national teams,” Green told SportingLife Friday afternoon.

  • INTERNATIONAL FRIENDLY: Falcons get Japanese test

    INTERNATIONAL FRIENDLY: Falcons get Japanese test

    The yet to be assembled senior women national team, Super Falcons will play a two leg friendly match against their Japanese counterpart in Tokyo. According to our source at the glasshouse secretariat of the NFF, the match will be played on September 22 & 25. “the Japanese football authorities have requested for a friendly match involving their senior women national team and Super Falcons. We are studying the proposal, and would soon consent to it immediately we constitute the technical crew of the team. The match will serve as a good build up for the team, as they begin preparation for the series of qualifiers they have next year“ the source who is a decent one at the football house said. He also confirmed that the appointment of the various coaches of the national female teams would form part of the agenda of the NFF Executive committee that will meet later in the month.

  • Falcons vacant role worries Uche

    Falcons vacant role worries Uche

    Former Super Falcons coach, Eucharia Uche has frowned at the delay in the appointment of a substantive head coach for the dethroned sixth time African champions.

    The Falcons have been without a head coach after Kadiri Ikhana resigned his position shortly after the side’s failure to defend their title at the African Women’s Championship (AWC) in Equatorial Guinea in 2012.

    The former Nigerian striker won the 2010 African Women’s Championship title but was booted out of office for her failure to qualify the side for the 2011 All Africa Games in Mozambique as well as the 2012 London Olympic Games.

    Uche said given the side’s unimpressive performance at last year’s African Women Championship the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) should have immediately appointed a replacement to commence an earnest rebuilding of the side for future challenges.

    “Honestly, we’re a little late, one expects by now everything would have been in place, both the coach and players and earnest build-up exercises would have commenced.

    “The next African Women’s Championship is crucial as it doubles as World Cup qualifiers. Other competing countries have commenced serious preparations and are engaged in top friendly matches towards the upcoming 2015 Fifa Women’s World Cup in Canada.

    “Of course, experience has shown there are no minnows in football anymore even in Africa, we need to quickly act fast to cover some ground, appoint a coach who will in turn instill confidence in the side once again,” said the former Super Falcons lethal finisher to supersport.com.

    Uche will however not bother herself with the discourse on gender as it concerns the side’s coach but will want an experienced coach appointed for the side.

    “Football is strictly a professional affair, I’m not concerned on colour or gender but for an experienced and disciplined coach to be assigned to the team, a coach who can do the job of returning the side to their preeminent position,” said the former Ufuoma Babes striker.

    Uche will not turn her back to the Super Falcons job if beckoned upon by the appointing authority.

    “I am a core professional any day any time, professionals wait for offer but don’t jump at it.

    “But offer from Nigeria will be treated as special as the country actually has given me everything and equally made me who I am today.

    “So if I’m called upon to serve in the capacity of Super Falcons coach I won’t turn it down. However, it’s not for me to campaign for the position.

    “My name speaks for itself both in and outside the shores of the country, at anytime I’m beckoned to take the Falcons job I’ll be glad to take it up,” said the Bayelsa Queens coach.