Tag: Falcons

Banyana Banyana coach Desiree Ellis and striker Thembi Kgatlana remain optimistic that they can overturn the 0-1 Olympics qualifiers defeat they suffered to Nigeria on Friday.

The South African senior women’s football team narrowly lost to Nigeria in the first leg on Friday at MKO Abiola Stadium in Abuja. Tomorrow Banyana welcome the Super Falcons for the deciding leg at Loftus Versfeld Stadium .

“I think for us in the first half, we started a bit slow and coming into the second stanza, we were better. That’s the positive we need to take going back home with familiar facilities and knowing what to do in front of our fans,” Kgatlana told SAFA  media.

“The good thing is [that] this is not a tournament. We know after the game in Pretoria, whoever wins will go through, but they have the advantage after the first leg; there is no away-goal rule.

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“I also think that gives us more confidence because we are not chasing the game. We know that we have to win with a better score. We also have an advantage at home with better facilities.”

“We have to look at the footage to see how we can rectify things and how we can be better. We need to score, but we need to be aware to not concede and make sure that we score first to get the game back on at even,” Ellis said.

Ellis also expects the Super Falcons to come and defend and protect their advantage.

“It’s now up to us to take the game to them and make sure that we score and also make sure that we are settled in defence and we don’t concede,” she said. ”They don’t have to come. They can sit back, but the onus is on us. We are going back to familiar surroundings and we hope to take the game to them.”

Banyana’s task is indeed not an impossible mission as they need at least a 1-0 win to force the fixture into a penalty shootout, or any two-goal margin victory to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

The General Secretary of Nigeria Football Federation, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi has implored Nigerians based in the Federal capital, Abuja and environs, and indeed from neighbouring States, to troop out in large numbers to the MKO Abiola National Stadium, Abuja on Friday to support the Super Falcons in their Women’s Olympic Football Tournament African final qualifying, first leg game against South Africa.

Nine-time African champions Nigeria and reigning African champions South Africa clash in a potentially-explosive affair in Nigeria’s magnificent sporting facility as from 5pm on Friday. The return leg is due for Pretoria’s Loftus Versfeld arena on Tuesday next week.

 “The NFF is calling on Nigerians from all over the Federal Capital Territory and the neighbouring States, and indeed from all over Nigeria, to come out in their tens of thousands to cheer the Super Falcons to victory in the match against South Africa.

 “This is a big match by all standards. We are especially appealing to our people to come en masse and support the Super Falcons. It is important for us to get a big win here in order to be in good stead before flying to South Africa. A handsome win here will bolster our ladies with the confidence and mentality to overcome in Pretoria,” Sanusi said.

Nigeria has not participated in the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament since 2008, when the Falcons lost all three matches in the group phase in China.

Captain Rasheedat Ajibade said  the objective of Africa’s leading women’s team, the Falcons, remains the same right from the beginning of the qualifiers.

 “From the time we played Ethiopia, we have been committed to seeing these qualification series through. Our objective has always been to win a slot to the Olympics. Most of us are yet to play in the Olympics and it is a big issue with us. We want to be there in Paris.

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“There are a couple of issues the Super Falcons have to sort out with Banyana Banyana, really. However, that is not the motivation this time. The motivation is qualifying for the Olympics.”

Nigeria emerged Africa’s top team at the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand eight months ago, unbeaten in regulation time before exiting at the Round of 16 courtesy of penalty shootout defeat by England.

As at lunchtime on Wednesday, captain Ajibade and 20 other players were in the Super Falcons’ camp, and the team had a first training session at the MKO Abiola Stadium on Wednesday morning.

The Banyana Banyana delegation arrived in Nigeria on Sunday.

Super Falcons in Camp:

Goalkeepers: Chiamaka Nnadozie, Tochukwu Oluehi, Linda Jiwuaku

Defenders: Jumoke Alani, Osinachi Ohale, Chidinma Okeke, Shukurat Oladipo, Michelle Alozie, Nicole Payne

Midfielders: Rasheedat Ajibade, Toni Payne, Deborah Abiodun, Jennifer Echegini, Christy Ucheibe, Halimatu Ayinde

Forwards: Uchenna Kanu, Gift Monday, Omorinsola Babajide, Ifeoma Onumonu, Esther Okoronkwo, Chiwendu Ihezuo

South Africa’s  High Commissioner to Nigeria, Thank Mseleku, has urged the Banyana Banyana to beat the Super Falcons  in the first leg of the final round of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games Qualifiers on Friday in Abuja.

Mseleku was quoted as saying that a good first leg result in Abuja would put the Banyana Banyana in the right stead to qualify easily when the second leg comes up in Pretoria on Tuesday.

Speaking at a welcome party for the Bafana Bafana by the South African Embassy in Abuja,  Lindi Minimela who spoke on behalf of  Mseleku said: “On behalf of High Commissioner Thami Mseleku, we are here to welcome you. He is the one who sent us here to give you a warm welcome. We have been waiting for the team for hours, patiently so because we were looking forward to having this privilege and honour of seeing each and every of you.

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“I know you are all tired from the trip and we just wanted to wish you the best for the game on Friday. We are looking forward to it with our vuvuzelas ready and we have no doubt that you are going to win this.”

Banyana Banyana arrived in Abuja on Sunday  ahead of the first leg Olympic qualifier against the West Africans to be played on Friday.

Ellis travelled with 17 players after a week of preparations in a local-based camp that took place from 25 – 31 March 2024 in Pretoria, South Africa.

Refiloe Jane, Noko Matlou and Jermaine Seoposenwe are the three overseas-based players who have joined up with the team in Abuja. Hildah Magaia, Thembi Kgatlana, Linda Mothlalo and Sinoxolo Cesane are yet to join up with the team.

The team had their second official training session yesterday  and will continue with preparations until Thursday.

 Nigeria’s Super Falcons opened yesterday for the African final qualifying fixture for this year’s Women’s Olympic Football Tournament against the Banyana Banyana of South Africa.

The two teams, arguably the best women football squads on the African continent, are at each other’s jugular for one of the two tickets from Africa for Paris 2024 Olympics women’s football, with the first leg taking place at the MKO Abiola National Stadium, Abuja on Friday. The return is scheduled for the Loftus Versfeld Arena in Pretoria five days later.

Captain and chief motivator Rasheedat Ajibade, whose savvy, skill and sapience helped the Falcons to the Round of 16 at last year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup in Down Under, will be joined in the roost by home-based goalkeeper Linda Jiwuaku and defender Jumoke Alani (drafted in following injury to Saudi Arabia-based Ashleigh Plumptre) as early birds.

Young defender Shukurat Oladipo, veteran goalkeeper Tochukwu Oluehi, Japan-based Chidinma Okeke and Spain-based forward Gift Monday are expected in camp early today. The rest of the squad will be in tomorrow  though USA-based African queen Asisat Oshoala is not expected until Thursday.

South Africa’s delegation, including 24 players, will land in Abuja this  evening.

The Super Falcons are extra-motivated for this fixture, having not beaten the Banyana in regulation time for many years now, and having watched as the South Africans carted away the Women Africa Cup of Nations trophy in Morocco last year after the Banyana edged them 2-1 in a group phase match.

Nine-time African champions Nigeria still call the shots at that level though, with nine of 12 titles contested so far, and with a squad brimming with youth and experience, and the bounce of having been Africa’s best performer at the last World Cup finals – unbeaten in regulation time until their exit via penalty shootout defeat to England.

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In 2018 when they won their ninth title, the Banyana were the victims after a penalty shootout at the Accra Sports Stadium.

Both legs of the fixture are of the potentially-explosive quality.

Nigeria will bank on the bravery of goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie, a rear-guard expected to include World Cup stars Osinachi Ohale and Michelle Alozie (and perhaps returnee Chidinma Okeke and newbie Oladipo), a midfield of no-nonsense duo of Halimatu Ayinde and Christy Ucheibe (spiced with the nifty Ajibade and the slickly Deborah Abiodun) and a forward-line of Esther Okoronkwo and Uchenna Kanu (with Gift Monday, Omorinsola Babajide and returnee Chiwendu Ihezuo also available). 

FALCONS FOR OPERATION BANG BANYANA:

Goalkeepers: Chiamaka Nnadozie (Paris FC); Tochukwu Oluehi (Shualat Alsharqia FC, Saudi Arabia); Linda Jiwuaku (Bayelsa Queens)

Defenders: Osinachi Ohale (Pachucha Club de Futbol, Mexico); Jumoke Alani (Edo Queens); Shukurat Oladipo (FC Robo Queens); Michelle Alozie (Houston Dash, USA); Nicole Payne (Portland Thorns FC, USA); Chidinma Okeke (Mynavi Sendai Ladies, Japan)

Midfielders: Deborah Abiodun (University of Pittsburgh, USA); Halimatu Ayinde (FC Rosengard, Sweden); Christy Ucheibe (SL Benfica, Portugal); Jennifer Echegini (Juventus Ladies, Italy); Rasheedat Ajibade (Atletico Madrid FC, Spain); Toni Payne (Sevilla FC, Spain)

Forwards: Omorinsola Babajide (Coasta Adeje Tenerife Egatesa, Spain); Esther Okoronkwo (Changchun FC, China); Ifeoma Onumonu (SLC Utah, USA); Asisat Oshoala (Bay FC, USA); Uchenna Kanu (Racing Louisville, USA); Gift Monday (Coasta Adeje Tenerife Egatesa, Spain); Chiwendu Ihezuo (Pachucha Club de Futbol, Mexico) .

If there is a Nigerian player for whom the Paris 2024 Olympic Games are of very particular importance, it is Chiamaka Nnadozie.

Since 2020, the Nigerian goalkeeper has lived in the City of Lights for four years, where she dons the colours of Paris FC. Having fallen in love with this city, “Maka” as her fans affectionately call her, wants to participate in the Olympic celebration which will take place in her “second home”.

The Olympic Games in France is a beautiful wink of destiny for the shot-stopper who burst onto the international scene on June 17, 2019. It was on that day, that the Super Falcons travelled to Rennes, in the west of France where she made her debut thanks to coach Thomas Dennerby.

The Orlu native held her own against the Bleues before the unfortunate 79th minute penalty she conceded. The Nigerians lost by the narrowest of margins, however Nnadozie laid the perfect foundation for a stellar career.

Nnadozie arrived in Paris in February 2020 and hardly had time to settle in as she hit the ground running.

 “She is one of the best goalkeepers of her generation” said Sandrine Soubeyrand, her coach at Paris FC.

Nnadozie was nominated twice in the category of best goalkeeper of the UNFP (editor’s note: prize rewarding players playing in the French championship).

Few years later, Nigerian goalkeeper to be awarded best women’s goalkeeper at the CAF Awards.

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Buoyed by this award and her performance at the last FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023, where she led Nigeria to the round of 16 with the captain’s armband, Nnadozie is eager to lead her side to the Olympics.

To do this, Nnadozie and Nigeria will have to overcome reigning African champions South Africa over a two-legged fixture on 05 and 09 April.

“I read so many things about the Olympics. We didn’t manage to qualify in 2020, I felt bad at first, then I said to myself ‘Come on, you have time ahead of you’ and that’s it another great opportunity to qualify. I want to know what it feels like to participate in the Olympic Games,” Nnadozie noted.

Nigeria’s last Olympics participation dates back to 2008 where the Super Falcons shot stopper was Toby Oluechi.

“I like how she talks to us about it, the advice she gives us and how much she insists telling us that it is important to qualify for the Games. It’s a great tournament, according to her. Through all her stories, I want to qualify even more,” she noted.

Giants of African women football, Nigeria and Cameroon will be taking no prisoners when they clash in Douala today for a place in the final round of the African qualifying series for this year’s Women’s Olympic Football Tournament.

The Super Falcons, rated top in Africa and still walking with springs in their steps after reaching the Round of 16 at the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Down Under, exiting the finals without losing a match in regulation time, will remember at kick-off that the Indomitable Lionesses stopped their march to the London 2012 Olympics.

On their part, the Lionesses have grouses of their own, having been bumped by Nigeria in several major events including being denied the Women Africa Cup of Nations title in front of their own fans in 2016, and being shoved out at the quarter-finals of the last Women AFCON tournament in Morocco.

Coach Randy Waldrum has recalled fabulous defender Ashley Plumptre, now based in Saudi Arabia, and Halimatu Ayinde, Toni Payne and Christy Ucheibe will get to play together in the middle again after a stirring outing at the World Cup in Australia. There’s also the talented youngster Deborah Abiodun.

Nigeria’s goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie is one of the most respected safe hands globally, and in forwards Asisat Oshoala, Rasheedat Ajibade, Uchenna Kanu, Gift Monday and Esther Okoronkwo, the Super Falcons boast one of the most stellar attacking ensemble in women’s football.

Captain Ajibade scored two of the five goals that eliminated Ethiopia in the second round of the qualifiers, with Oshoala also scoring, and Okoronkwo and Kanu were on fire as Cape Verde were put to the sword in the final round of qualifiers for this year’s Women AFCON championship.

Veteran defender Osinachi Ohale is peerless on her day, and younger stallions Tosin Demehin and Rofiat Imuran have grown to become true fighters whenever the occasion called for such.

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Cameroon, who edged Uganda 3-2 on aggregate in the second round, will be missing star player Ajara Njoya Nchout. Yet, it will be dangerous to underestimate what the Lionesses can come up with right in their own den.

Both teams will join the same flight to Nigeria’s administrative capital, Abuja for Monday’s return leg at the MKO Abiola National Stadium.

South Africa’s Banyana Banyana will take on Tanzania the same weekend, with the winner over two legs to clash with the winner of Nigeria/Cameroon for one of the African tickets to Paris in July.

Tunisia clash with Morocco in an all-North African affair while Ghana host Zambia in Kumasi. Winners will face off for the second African ticket to Paris.