The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Falcons

  • Falcons delegation arrive Ottawa for draws

    Falcons delegation arrive Ottawa for draws

    The Super Falcons delegation have arrived Ottawa, capital of Canada for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2015.

    Falcons’ Coach, Edwin Okon, led the group which included Team Administrator, Ruth David and Team Media Officer, Gracious Akujobi.

    The team, which left Abuja on Thursday via a British Airways aircraft, touched down in London Heathrow after a six-hour flight. They later transited for two hours at Heathrow before connecting an Air Canada flight for Toronto that lasted eight hours. From Toronto they connected to Ottawa and arrived at 11:25pm local time with a freezing temperature of -16 degrees.

    The delegation was welcomed at the airport by FIFA team Liaison Officer and the team driver who took the team straight to their hotel at the Westin Hotel and Resorts.

    When asked what he is expecting from the draw, Coach Okon stated quietly but with confidence that he and his girls are ready to face any opposition.

    “We have qualified for the World Cup and we are here for the draws. It doesn’t matter who we are drawn against, what matters is that we are prepared to face any team.

    “Don’t forget we are African champions and we hope to show the whole world the stuff we are made of. We hope for a favourable draw but we are not afraid to meet any team” Okon enthused.

    The draw will take place at the Museum of History Ottawa-Gatineau between 12:00 – 1300 local time.

  • Falcons know World Cup foes Dec 6

    Falcons know World Cup foes Dec 6

    Nigeriawomen’s team, the Super Falcons, will know their group opponents at the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Canada on December 6, when the draw will take place in Ottawa.

    This is Nigeria’s seventh appearance in the tournament, having qualified for each previous edition of the competition.

    Nigeria’s best performance was at USA 1999 when they were knocked out in the quarterfinals by Brazil with a golden goal after finishing second in their group.

    A record 129 nations entered the qualifiers and that the finals will, for the very first time, feature 24 teams – eight more than at Germany 2011.

    The World Cup will be played from June 6 to July 5 next year.

    Host cities are Ottawa, Moncton, Montreal, Winnipeg, Edmonton and Vancouver.

    Other participating nations are: Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, Canada, USA, Norway, Sweden, England, Germany, France, Switzerland, Spain, China, Mexico, Costa Rica, Brazil, Colombia, Korea Republic, Japan, Thailand, Austaralia and New Zealand.

  • Falcons’ coach praises Eagles

    Falcons’ coach praises Eagles

    Super Falcons’ coach Edwin Okon has hailed the technical crew of the Super Eagles for sticking to the winning strategy and defeating the Red Devils of Congo on Saturday.

    Two second half goals from Ikechukwu Uche and Aaron Samuel were enough for the team as they moved closer to qualification for the 2015 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) with a 2-0 result in Point Noire.

    “We were very patient in the first half, but I know at this level everything is unpredictable. The second half came as expected as Congo resorted to their physical strength and started playing long balls,” the Rivers Angels coach told SL10.

    “I must commend the winning formula adopted by Coach Stephen Okechukwu Keshi, who proved that he is a capable gaffer. Change in tactics was effected in the second half and we were totally a different side,” Okon continued.”

    “The boys adapted to what the technical crew wanted from them. From a Nigerian point of view, it was a wonderful game on the home stretch. If we continue playing like we showed in the second half, there are still chances of qualifying for Equatorial Guinea 2015 and to do that we have to beat South Africa which is possible,” he added.

    Nigeria will take on South Africa, while Sudan meets Congo in the final Group A matches on Wednesday.

  • Presidential reception for Falcons postponed

    Presidential reception for Falcons postponed

    The President of  Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan could not host the victorious Super Falcons yesterday, SL10 gathered from sources close to the State House.

    The event to celebrate the 7th African Women’s Championship success of the senior national side has been postponed until further notice.

    Reasons for the postponement wasn’t revealed to SL10 as at Press Time, but SL10 sources scooped from a top official of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) that the president will certainly bless the ladies with cash incentives and possibly some other rewards. Nigeria has a long tradition of women football success in Africa and beyond, that was the reason the number one citizen in Nigeria wants to encourage the girls to do more for the nation.

    The Nigerian national women’s team had been billed to have a dinner with President Jonathan at the Presidential Villa in Aso Rock on October 29 but President Jonathan only received the trophy the team won at the just concluded African Women’s Championship held in Namibia.

    As a result of their victory, the Nigerian team, along with second and third-place teams, Cameroon and Cote d’Ivoire, will represent Africa at the 2015 FIFA World Cup to be hosted in Canada.

  • Falcons get allowances, decamped

    Falcons get allowances, decamped

    Newly minted African Champions, the Super Falcons of Nigeria, were formally decamped on Wednesday after winning the African Women Championship in Namibia for the seventh time.

    Team Administrator Ruth Davids who intimated the players of the decamping, also disclosed that they are expected to return next week for a presidential reception at Aso Rock Villa.

    Meanwhile, the players and team officials have been paid all their entitlements accruing from their participation at the AWC.

  • Uba boosts Falcons with N10m

    Uba boosts Falcons with N10m

    • Players receive N5m, coaches N2m, NFF N3m
    • Charges team to win World Cup in Canada in 2015

    Chairman of Capital Oil and Gas who also double as the Chairman of Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN), Dr. Ifeanyi Uba has showered a total sum of N10 million on the victorious Super Falcons that beat Cameroun 2-0 in the final of this year’s edition of Africa Women’s Championship (AWC) to win their seventh title out of nine.

    Just after meeting with President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan on Wednesday during the Federal Executive Council where the team presented the AWC Trophy to the Nigerian sports loving President, the team proceeded to the TAN boss residence in Maitama to attend a grand reception organized by Uba who is also passionate about football.

    In a speech delivered on his behalf by the Director of Communication and Strategy TAN, Udenta O.

    Udenta, Uba said he has vowed not to make any public speeches until President Goodluck Jonathan declare his intention to run fore second term as the President of the nation. He, however, directed Udenta to deliver the speech on his behalf.

    “Your exploits and subsequent victory as African Women’s Championship (AWC) winner at the just concluded tournament in Windhoek in Namibia is one of the best development in Nigeria in recent times.

    “This is more so as your victory came at a time when peace is most needed, given the fact that soccer is one of the most unifying factors in any society all over the world. We at Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN) see your victory as the outcome of the can do spirit of Nigerian youths which has made you to demonstrate great zeal, uncommon patriotism and an insurmountable tram-spirit throughout the tournament.

    “It is gratifying to note that Nigerian youths have gracefully imbibed President Goodluck Jonathan’s winning sprit which has made him to record tremendous achievement in his Transformation Agenda Programme.

    “It’s worthy of note that TAN has been in the fore front of sports sponsorships in Nigeria. In the last world cup in Brazil TAN sponsored some youths to the event. We hope that you will continue in this spirit until you come back home with the female World Cup next year from Canadayear . TAN will be on ground in Canada to support you at the next World Cup “, Uba assured.

     

     

  • Falcons devour Semo, Egusi soup

    Falcons devour Semo, Egusi soup

    The Super Falcons are not missing any of the delicious Nigerian delicacies they are used to eating back home ahead of their African Women Championship (AWC) final against the Indomitable Lionesses of Cameroon in Windhoek tonight.

    SportingLife gathered that the players, having become tired of the sugar-laden meals that they were being served at their prestigious Safari Hotel abode, were delighted when sumptuous plates of Semovita and egusi soups were arranged for them by the team’s leader of delegation, Dilichukwu Onyedinma.

    Onyedinma, who regularly visits the West African restaurant in Windhoek, where Nigerian meals are sold, also made sure that the Falcons were served soup with a rich variety of meat and fish called ‘assorted’ in local Nigerian parlance such as brokoto, beef, fish, etc.

    SportingLife’s correspondent was at the restaurant run by a Yoruba couple in Windhoek and they confirmed that various Nigerian meals including jollof rice were taken to the players at their hotel.

    One of the regulars at the restuarant has been the chief coach of the Falcons, Edwin Okon, and in one of his visits, he had to reluctantly settle for ‘Semo’ when he was told that there was no more eba.

    “My brother, you dey come here too?” Okon asked in surprise.

    “I don tire for the sweet things wey we dey eat for hotel,” he said before zooming off with his food.

  • Falcons don’t scare us

    Falcons don’t scare us

    The head coach of the Lionesses of Cameroon,Enow Ngachu has banished any insinuation that his team would be taken to the cleaners by the Super Falcons in case the two countries clash in the finals of the 9th African Women Championship on October 25 at the Sam Nujoma stadium.

    Nigeria face arch rivals,the Bayana Bayana of South Africa in the first semi final game today at 4 pm Nigerian time while Cameroon files out against Cote d’Ivoire an hour later at the same venue in the second semis.

    While speaking to SportingLife, Ngachu opined that their immediate priority was to win tonight’s game against the Ivorians. He said his team is not scared of Falcons incase the Nigerian women emerge as their foes in the final.

    “Much as I would have preferred to concentrate on our game against Cote d’Ivoire, I also want to allay fears that the form of the Falcons in this tournament has put fear in the remaining teams in the competition.

    “The Lionesses of Cameroon are not scared of any team, not even the Falcons.We respect them for what they have achieved in the past and in this tournament but that will not stop us from playing our game”he said

    Ngachu was  sure that the easy nature of Group A where the Falcons virtually demolished all their opponents to emerge top and qualify for the semi finals may have flattered the Nigerian women.

    “Without doubt, our group was the toughest in the competition because every team won at least one game and everybody saw how keenly contested it was. It was unlike Group A where Nigeria just demolished all their opponents though their last game against Namibia which they won was a bit tough for them”

  • Falcons are group A winners

    Falcons are group A winners

    • Beat Namibia 2-0

    Two quick goals in the first half from Gloria Ofoegbu and Francisca Ordega helped the Super Falcons to secure a 2-0 win over the Brave Gladiators of Namibia in one of the last round of matches in Group A decided at the Sam Nujoma Stadium in Windhoek, yesterday.

    The scoreline perhaps flattered the coach Godwin Okon-tutored side as the Nigerian side which rested about seven key regulars fought desperately to keep the rampaging, young Namibians at bay in a partisan crowd that kept on cheering the home side.

    In yesterday’s game, coach Okon opted to start veteran striker, Perpetua Nkwocha ahead of the tournament’s leading goalscorer, Desire Oparanozie but it was the young Namibians who, obviously in search of points to progress, took the match to the Nigerians.

    The Brave Warriors star player, Zenatha Coleman should have put the host ahead in the early minutes but she kicked a sitter over the bar with goalkeeper Ibubeleye Whyte already beaten.

    The Namibians would rue that miss later in the 35th minute when their goalkeeper Lydia Eixas committed a blunder by leaving her area to take a kick and Ofoegbu, who was playing her first game of the championship, curled the free kick into the net to give the Falcons the lead against the run of play.

    Barely two minutes later, Sweden-based Francisca Ordega, who was unarguably Nigeria’s best player on the day, latched onto a pass from Esther Sunday, rounded up the Namibian goalkeeper and placed the ball in an empty net to double Nigerians’ lead.

    In the second half, coach Okon brought in midfield maestro Halimatu Ayinde and Glory Iroka to stabilize the midfield as the Namibians continued to search for a morale-boosting goal which never came.

    As the game was winding up, coach Okon gave another veteran, 36-year-old Stella Mbachu her first game of the tournament when she came in for Cecilia Nku in the 85th minute.

    Having emerged as group winners, the Super Falcons will now face the runners up of Group B next week. The teams in Group B will play their last round of matches today simultaneously at the Independence Stadium and Sam Nujoma Stadium in Windhoek.

  • AWC: Namibia’s coach tips Falcons for glory

    AWC: Namibia’s coach tips Falcons for glory

    Namibia Coach, Jacqueline Shipanga has congratulated the Super Falcons for their victory against her side in yesterday’s last group match of the Africa Women Championship (AWC).

    Following the victory, Shipanga has tipped the Nigeria side to win this year’s edition.

    “Your girls are very good. From the way they played today (Friday) shows that they are good for the trophy. I do not see any team stopping them,” she said.

    The Falcons continued their impressive run  with a 2-0 win over Namibia, with goals from Francesca Ordega and Gloria Ofoegbu. The hosts were hoping to cook up one of the biggest upsets in the history of women’s football against Nigeria. Head Coach, Edwin Okon had dropped the team’s leading striker, Desire Oparanozie, Asisat Oshoala, goalkeeper Precious Dede and Onome Ebi from the match, using second-string players with a view to resting them for the knockout stage.

    Speaking after the match, Team Captain, Evelyn Nwabuoku hailed the team’s performance, saying she was happy they picked all nine points available from the group stage. She, however, agreed that the Namibians put up a hard fight bowing out of the competition.

    “We always knew it would not be easy playing against the host nation because we would be up against the 12th man (the spectators), so, I’m happy we won. Namibia gave us a good fight, they gave us a run for our money today but we are happy to have contained them and got the maximum points,” she said.