Barely a month after their double header international friendly matches against Algeria in Ikenne and Lagos, former women’s national team player, Adanna Nwaneri, has admonished the Super Falcons to go all out in full force against their French counterparts in tomorrow’s big international friendly in Angers, writes TUNDE LIADI…
Former Super Falcons player, Adanna Nwaneri, has urged the senior women’s national team to make the most of the opportunity they get when they face France’s Les Bleues tomorrow in Angers in an international friendly tie.
Nwaneri who won the Women’s African Cup of Nations (then African Women’s Championship) and also attended the FIFA Women’s World Cup and Olympic Games with the Super Falcons in hey heyday, said the French national team would be a stiffer opposition for Nigeria and the friendly will be a good test for Nigeria’s preparation for the WAFCON.
“This game gives the Super Falcons the opportunity to know the extent they have gone in terms of preparation for the forthcoming WAFCON which comes up next year, in Morocco, ” Nwaneri told NationSport. “This is a game they do not need to be under pressure playing knowing that the French would have the advantage and the fact that they are playing at home should make the Falcons relax and focus on their preparation for the WAFCON and think less about the result of the game.”
Ahead of what would be fireworks in Angers between the two teams, Nwaneri has pleaded with Nigerians to look beyond the result , adding the encounter would further offers coach Justin Madugu the chance to build a virile team able to contest for the WAFCON as frontrunners and not mere participants.
Nwaneri who is an assistant coach of the Flamingos and head coach of Abia Angels, praised coach Madugu for inviting some home based players from the NWFL Premiership, stating that it will help develop the local leagues and also make the home based players more productive knowing that they would be rewarded with call ups if they do well.
The former international advocated that the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) should make it a must for Super Falcons coaching crew to include players from the NWFL Premiership to their programmes in order to aid the growth of the domestic league.
She volunteered: “The coach has done well to have a blend of the foreign based players and players plying their trade in the Nigeria Women’s Football League Premiership. It is good for the leagues in Nigeria and it will help boost the morale of the players at home who will be willing to give their all knowing that they would be rewarded.
“We started the Super Falcons with many home based players but foreign coaches came and decided to stick with players abroad but this new direction under Madugu will help the development and growth of the domestic leagues.”
Nwaneri said the decision of coach Madugu not to include many overseas –based players including the likes of Asisat Oshoala, Osinachi Ohale, Chinwendu Ihezuo among others, should be respected as he continues to raise his new look squad that will be good enough to maintain the Super Falcons’ dominance in Africa and draw them closer to being world best.
“The coach knows why he didn’t invite Asisat Oshoala and others,” she continued.“ There is time for everything.
“ We should trust his judgement and allow him to take full charge of his work. He can’t invite all the players at the same time and I also read where he said he has not closed the doors of the team against any member of the team,” she added.
The Super Falcons are billed for what should be an exciting encounter against France’s Les Bleues tomorrow.
The international friendly, scheduled to kick off at 9:30 p.m. local time, will take place at Stade Raymond Kopa in Angers.
This matchup comes as both teams fine-tune their preparations for upcoming major tournaments. Nigeria’s Falcons are targeting the 2025 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco while France are eyeing the UEFA Women’s Euro Championship in Switzerland next summer.
The upcoming friendly is part of a significant rebuilding phase for Nigeria’s national team following the departure of former head coach Randy Waldrum.
Interim coach Justin Madugu has been entrusted with the task of shaping a new-look squad that can reclaim WAFCON glory.
Nigeria’s recent double-header friendly series against Algeria revealed Madugu’s strategy, giving emerging domestic players a chance to shine.
Despite missing some key players including Oshoala, the Super Falcons impressed with a 2-0 victory in Ikenne, followed by a commanding 4-1 win in Lagos.
Meanwhile, France’s Les Bleues have dominated Nigeria in head-to-head meetings.
It is the second time both teams will engage in a friendly encounter – the first being a forgettable experience for the Falcons as they lost by eight goals in freezing weather inside Le Mans’ Stade Marie-Marvingt on 6th April 2018.
Only goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie, who plays her club football in France, and Mexico- based defender Osinachi Ohale, remain from that squad that was undone by, among other things, a hat-trick from Valérie Gauvin and an own goal by defender Faith Ikidi-Michael. The defeat equalled the Falcons’ biggest-ever defeats – by Norway at the 1995 FIFA World Cup finals in Sweden and by Germany in a friendly in Leverkusen’s Bay Arena on 25th November 2010.
However, clashes at the FIFA World Cup finals have been much closer, with the Falcons losing by the odd goal against the Les Bleues in Germany in 2011, and by the same margin at the Roazhon Park when both sides clashed at the 2019 finals hosted by France.
This November clash offers the Super Falcons a fresh chance to secure their first-ever win over the French team, a feat that would boost their confidence ahead of WAFCON.
SUPER FALCONS FOR LES BLEUES CHALLENGE:
Goalkeepers: Chiamaka Nnadozie (Paris FC, France); Anderline Mgbechi (Rivers Angels); Rachael Unachukwu (Nasarawa Amazons)
Defenders: Osinachi Ohale (Pachucha Club de Futbol, Mexico); Michelle Alozie (Houston Dash, USA); Ashleigh Plumptre (Ittihad Ladies, Saudi Arabia); Rofiat Imuran (London City Lioness, England); Sikiratu Isah (Nasarawa Amazons); Oluwatosin Demehin (Galatasaray Sportive, Turkey)
Midfielders: Jennifer Echegini (Paris Saint Germain, France); Toni Payne (Everton Ladies, England); Josephine Mathias (Nasarawa Amazons); Christy Ucheibe (SL Benfica, Portugal); Shukurat Oladipo (FC Robo Queens); Adoo Yina (Nasarawa Amazons)
Forwards: Blessing Nkor (Pyramids FC, Egypt); Gift Monday (Coasta Adeje Tenerife Egatesa (Spain); Ifeoma Onumonu (Montpellier FC, France); Omorinsola Babajide (Coasta Adeje Tenerife Egatesa (Spain); Mercy Omokwo (Bayelsa Queens)
