The Nation Newspaper

Tag: SUPER FALCONS

  • S/Falcons to play ten matches before 2019 Women’s World Cup – NFF

    The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) on Thursday said it has put in place plans to provide the Super Falcons with better preparations for the 8th FIFA Women’s World Cup finals.

    Ademola Olajire, NFF’s Director of Communications, said in a statement that the federation had made plans for the African champions to participate in about 10 matches altogether.

    “Participation in the Four-Nation Invitational Tournament in China from Jan. 17 to Jan. 20 will be followed by participation in the Cyprus Women’s Cup billed for Feb. 25 to March 7.

    “They will then play planned friendly matches with Spain or Canada before a final training camp in Austria that could also take in two tune-up games,’’ he said.

    Already, the NFF has announced that the Falcons would have their final camping programme at the same Avita Hotel and Resort in Bad Tatzmannsdorf in Austria.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Super Eagles stayed at that same facility before heading to Russia to participate in the 2018 FIFA World Cup finals.

    Read Also: Super Falcons in tough France 2019 draw

    Olajire disclosed that players and officials of the nine-time African champions were on Tuesday at the Embassy of China in Abuja for visa processing.

    “The team is expected to fly out of Nigeria to China on Monday,’’ he said.

    Hosts China, Romania and Korea Republic are the other teams taking part in the four-day invitational.

    The NFF official added that the players and officials would on return from the invitational tournament in China begin visa processing for the trip to Cyprus.

    “They will take part in a 12-nation Invitational Tournament between Feb. 25 and March 7.

    “Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Finland, Hungary, Italy, North Korea, Mexico, Slovakia, South Africa and Thailand are the other nations taking part.

    “Of the lot, Nigeria, Italy, South Africa and Thailand will be going to France,’’ he said.

    Olajire disclosed also that Spain and Canada have approached Nigeria for friendly matches.

    Spain will face South Africa, Germany and China in Group B at France 2019, while Canada will also take on African team Cameroon, New Zealand and The Netherlands in Group E.

    “Jamaica, who play Australia, Italy and Brazil in Group C, have also written to the NFF expressing interest in playing against the Super Falcons,’’ he added.

    Nigeria are the only African country to have featured in all previous editions of the FIFA Women’s World Cup since the competition was launched in China in 1991.

    The African champions, who are the Women National Team of Year 2018 in Africa, will tackle host nation France, Korea Republic and Norway in Group A of this summer’s finals.

    The Super Falcons, who were quarter-finalists in 1999, will open their account in France against Norway, at the 21,000-capacity Stade Auguste Delaune in Reims on June 8.

    They will then face Korea Republic in Grenoble on June 12 and hosts France in Rennes on June 17.

    The 8th FIFA Women’s World Cup finals will hold from June 7 to July 7.

    France will be up against Korea Republic in the opening match at the Parc des Princes in Paris on June 7.

  • We will prepare hard for 2019 World Cup – Falcons’ coach

    Super Falcons’ Head Coach, Thomas Dennerby, says Nigeria will work to prepare hard and take it one match at a time at the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup finals in France.

    The African champions were on Saturday evening drawn with hosts France, Norway and Korea Republic in Group A of the 24-team competition.

    The draw was held at a colourful ceremony inside the La Seine Musicale on the River Seine in Paris.

    “There is no easy group here. I am okay with the draw because I always knew that we will have to play (against) the best teams. That is what you do at the World Cup.

    “The French team is, of course, world-class, and I know we would have to fight very hard against them.

    “The Koreans are very technical and have pace, but we will confront them with our physical strength, ability and pace of our own and we have a great chance in there.

    “I know the Norway team, more than they know us or can hope to know us. At the end of the day, it would come down to preparations.

    “We must prepare very hard and then take it one match at a time during the finals,” the Swede said at the mixed zone which followed the draw ceremony on Saturday.

    “If you have to make real impact at the FIFA World Cup, you have to beat the strong teams. That is what we have to prepare for.

    “I am looking ahead to an interesting tournament in France in the summer of next year,” Dennerby added.

    Also, President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Amaju Pinnick, said: “It is a draw that tells us that we have to do everything we can to prepare the team well for the competition.

    “Presently, we have lined up two tournaments in China and Cyprus for the team, and we are talking with a few countries and organisers for matches and tournaments.

    “We will give the Head Coach and his team the necessary support to prepare the team adequately for the competition.”

    Speaking also, former Super Falcons’ star Mercy Akide-Udoh, who attended the ceremony as a FIFA Ambassador for Women’s Football, said it was all up to the NFF.

    “This is a tough one for us. But I think the Federation should do everything to ensure adequate preparation of the team.”

    The 8th FIFA Women’s World Cup finals will take place in nine French cities between June 7 and July 7.

    Nigeria’s first match of the finals will be against Norway in Reims on June 8, before they face Korea Republic in Grenoble on June 12.

    Their last match of the group phase is against hosts France in Rennes on June 17.

    The opening match of the tournament is between France and Korea Republic, and will hold at the Parc des Princes in Paris on 7th June 2019.

    The draw was conducted by FIFA Legends Alex Scott and Louis Saha.

    A dazzling line-up of assistants, including Didier Deschamps, Marie Bochet, Kaká, Cindy Cone, Michael Essien, Aya Miyama and Steffi Jones, lent a helping hand in the draw.(NAN)

  • Super Falcons in tough France 2019 draw

    Reigning African champions, Super Falcons, have been handed a tough section at next year’s FIFA after the draws  were held b at a Seine Musicale in Paris yesterday.

    The draw was conducted by FIFA Legends Alex Scott and Louis Saha, who brought the same flair that they displayed on the football pitch to the draw event. A dazzling line-up of assistants including Didier Deschamps, Marie Bochet, Kaká, Cindy Cone, Michael Essien, Aya Miyama and Steffi Jones lent a helping hand in the draw, as the 24 nations participating in the FIFA Women’s World Cup found out whom they will play next year in France.

    Hosts France will take on Korea Republic in the competition’s opening match at the Parc des Princes on 7 June at 21:00 (local time). Norway and Nigeria were also drawn in Group A.

    Australia were drawn as the top seed in Group C and will face Italy, Brazil and Jamaica, while Group D will see an intriguing opening match between arch-rivals England and Scotland in Nice on 9 June. Group E saw Canada drawn with Cameroon, New Zealand and European champions the Netherlands, while holders USA will face Thailand, Chile and Sweden in Group F.

     

    THE FULL DRAW

    Group A

    France

    Korea Rep.

    Norway

    Nigeria

     

    Group B

    Germany

    China PR

    Spain

    South Africa

     

    GROUP C

    Australia

    Italy

    Brazil

    Jamaica

    GROUP D

    England

    Scotland

    Argentina

    Japan

     

    GROUP E

    Canada

    Cameroon

    New Zealand

    Netherlands

     

    GROUP F

    USA

    Thailand

    Chile

    Sweden

     

  • Falcons Await Opponents Drop One Point in FIFA Ranking

     

    Super Falcons dropped a point in the latest FIFA ranking despite emerging champions at the just ended African women Nations cup in Accra Ghana.

    The ranking dished out Friday, indicate that the Coach Thomas Dennerby tutored side dropped from 38 in the world to 39th in the world but remained number one in the African continent.

    The two other African flag bearers to the 2019 World cup in France however moved slightly up the ladder but still remain below Nigeria.

    AFWON runners up Bayana Bayana moved up two places from 50 to 48 while Cameroon moved up three places from 49 in the world to 46 in the world.

    Nigeria, Cameroon, South Africa, Ghana and Cote d Ivoire  are the top five in Africa in that order while USA, Germany, France, England and Canada are the top five in the world in that order.

    Meanwhile the 24 countries that will do battle in France will know their opponents on Saturday.  African representatives are in pot 4 alongside Argentina Chile and Jamaica.

    Pot 3 has Korea Republic, China, Italy New Zealand, Scotland and Thailand.  Netherlands, Japan Sweden

    Brazil Spain and Norway make up Pot2 while Pot 1 has hosts France, USA, Germany, England, Canada and Australia.

    Only four countries have won the Women’s world cup since its inception in 1991, with USA having the highest wins of three times, 1991, 1999 and 2015.

    Germany won the title back to back in 2003 and 2007 while Norway and Japan won in 1995 and 2011 respectively.

    Falcons have been part of every edition posting their best performance in 1999 when they made to the Quarterfinals.

  • 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup: Super Falcons to begin camping in January

    To ensure that the Super Falcons becomes a formidable team before the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup, the camping for the African champion will commence in January.

    Disclosing this yesterday in Lagos, Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) President, Amaju Pinnick said he believes the team can exceed their quarterfinal berth in the competition and to achieve this, the federation would give the necessary support to the team starting  with the camping which starts in January 2019.

    “We want to ensure that this team is well prepared for the World Cup and we will give them the necessary support so that they can exceed their quarterfinal berth which has been the best the team achieved at the Mundial. We want to start the campaign by January and ensure they have good matches against European teams before the competition starts in June,” Amaju said.

    The NFF expressed confidence in the female national team adding that having won the continental title nine times, the team has the wherewithal to replicate such feat again at global level.

    “We just don’t want to the World Cup and add to numbers but we want to go there as a true African champion and that is why we will make sure the team has good preparation before the World Cup,” he added.

    After emerging as Champion at the African Women Cup of Nation (AWCON) in Ghana at the weekend, Super Falcons, South Africa’s Bayana Bayana and Cameroun’s Lioness will be representing Africa at the FIFA World Cup holding in France on June 7 to July 7. Nigeria has not missed any FIFA World Cup since making its maiden appearance in 1991 having attended the last seven editions of the championship.

    The Thomas Dennerby’s side will tomorrow know their opponents at the World Cup when the draws for the Mundial holds  at the Seine Musicale arts centre, near Paris.

  • Super Falcons back home with AWCON Trophy

    Nigeria’s female football national team Super Falcons have returned to the country following their triumph at the just concluded 2018 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (AWCON) championship.

    The Chief of Staff to the President and Commander-In-Chief of the Federal Republic, President Muhammadu Buhari (GCFR), Alhaji Abba Kyari, was at the head of a delegation of prominent Nigerians and top officials of the Nigeria Football Federation that received the victorious senior national female on arrival in Abuja on Sunday evening.

    The nine –time African champions, flew into the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport minutes before 4pm, aboard an ASKY Airline flight from Accra, and were received by Alhaji Kyari, NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, as well as other officials of the NFF.

    On Saturday, at the Accra Sports Stadium, the golden girls prevailed over a resilient South African Banyana Banyana side 4-3 n penalties after a scoreless 120 minutes, to lift the top African women football diadem for the third successive time and ninth time overall

    Holding aloft the Women AFCON trophy, the Falcons were wildly cheered by Nigerians at the airport and responded gracefully before they entered the bus that conveyed them to their hotel in the Federal Capital.

    At the Starview Hotel, Alhaji Kyari commended the girls for a job well done, praising them for their tenacity, energy, determination and patriotic fervour.

    “On behalf of Mr. President, who is not in the country at the moment, we say welcome and well done to you. We are proud of you and your representation of the country.

    Infact, as we were leaving the airport, two eminent Nigerians called and donated the sum of N50million and N25 million respectively to your team. Please rest very well. We will get back to you with the activities lined up for you in the coming days.”

    Thenff.com learnt that the two eminent Nigerians who donated money are Alhaji Aliko Dangote (Chairman of Dangote Group) and Alhaji Abdulsamad Rabiu (Chairman of BUA company). It was also learnt that the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Alhaji Mohammed Musa Bello, will host the team on Monday, 3rd December 2018.

    Also at the hotel to receive the Super Falcons was the Honourable Minister for Women Affairs, Hajiya Aisha Abubakar.

    General Secretary of the Nigeria Football Federation, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, said: “On behalf of the leadership of the NFF, we are grateful for the support from the Nigerian Government which has seen the team excel at the Cup of Nations. The girls have promised to do their best to represent the country very well at the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup.”

  • Four Eagles Four Falcons make CAF best players list

     

    *Rohr, Dennerby make coaches list

    Despite what has been dubbed in some quarters as not too impressive form of the Nation’s senior teams Super Eagles and Super Falcons, no fewer than eight Nigeria male and female players have been nominated in the CAF’s 55-man parade of best players in the continent.

    The soccer ruling body in Africa Friday dished out a list of 34 male players, 15 female players and six male youth players who will battle for recognition at the awards Gala billed for January 8 2019 in Dakar, Senegal.

    Although the list will ultimately be gradually cut down to the last 10 all the way to the last three, being named among the best on the continent is no doubt an achievement on its own.

    Leading the pack of Super Eagles players in the list is the master of speed on pitch Ahmed Musa who has been tipped in some quarters to make it all the way considering his impact at the last World cup in Russia as well as other outings afterwards.  Others are China based Odion Ighalo, Alex Iwobi and Wilifred Ndidi who was named in the youth player of the year category.

    In the ladies department expectedly former Arsenal ace Asissat Oshoalla led the pack with Desire Oparanozie, Francisca Odegar and Onome Ebi also in contention.

    The girls who have garnered some points for picking a ticket to the world cup in France will further add some icing on the cake on Saturday if they brush aside Bayana Bayana to clinch the African women Nations cup in Ghana.

    It was not however all about players as Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr also got a nomination in the coaches’ 10-man parade that also has Aliou Cisse who led the Teranga Lions to the last world cup in Russia.

    Thomas Dennerby who is hoping to win his first trophy with Super Falcons on Saturday, made the 5-man list of Women’s coach of the year.

    While the Super Eagles failed to make it into the national male team of the year, Super Falcons will battle it out against Cameroon, Mali Ghana and South Africa.

  • Super Falcons to know world cup opponents December 8

     

    Can anything stop the Super Falcons from picking a ticket for the 8th FIFA Women World Cup in France? I don’t think so, thus it would be safe to say that Nigeria will know her World cup opponents in France on December 8.

    A release from World soccer ruling body FIFA indicates that the draw for the 8th Women world cup which will hold between June 7 and July 7 in France will hold on December 8 with France world cup winning coach and former France international Didier Deschamps as Draw Assistant.

    Four countries Nigeria, South Africa, Mali and Cameroon are chasing the three tickets available to represent the continent

    After showing hosts Ghana, Algeria, Equatorial Guinea and Zambia the exit door following completion of the group stage of the African Women Nations Cup, Nigeria will Tuesday face Cameroon in the semifinals while South Africa will confront Mali.

    The finalists and third place winner will qualify for the battle of Paris. The falcons have been part of every edition of the tournament since inception in 1991.

    The team’s best outing was at the 1999 edition in USA where the girls made it all the way to the Quarterfinals before kissing the exit door following a 4-3 defeat by Brazil after Extra time.

    Interestingly only Nigeria and Ghana represented the continent at that edition with the Black Queens crashing out in the group stage losing two matches and drawing one.

     

     

     

     

  • Super Falcons go goal crazy wallop Equatorial Guinea 6-0

     

    Defending champions Super Falcons Saturday made mincemeat of Equatorial Guinea to formally hit the semifinals of the ongoing African Women Nations Cup in Ghana.

    Falcons who hammered Shepolopolo 4-0 in the second group match again went goal crazy on Saturday completely tearing the Nzalang Nacional as the Equatorial Guinea girls are called apart.

    The goal bazaar began as early as the 10th minute when Francisca Ordega put the Falcons ahead.  Asissat Oshoala who wasted begging chances in the match against Shepolopolo of Zambia in the second match, rediscovered her scoring boot grabbing a hatrick in a jiffy.

    Desire Oparanozie and Rita Chikwelu grabbed a goal each to hand Falcons a 6-0 victory.  The rampaging Falcons appeared to have set a target at scoring 16 goals to spell Equatorial Guinea but ended up spelling Guinea.

    The second match involving South Africa and Zambia ended in a 1-1 draw thus pushing hard fighting Shepolopolo to the exit door.  Nigeria will face Cameroon in the first Semifinal tie while South Africa will slug it out with Mali.

  • Rejuvenated Super Falcons bounce back into contention

     

    Super falcons bounced back into contention on Wednesday after hitting shepopolo of zambia 4-0 in their second game of the  ongoing African Women Nations cup in Ghana.

    The Falcons who lost their opening match to South Africa by a lone goal, improved their performance against Zambia, a complete departure from uncoordinated display witnessed in the opening match.

    Desire Oparanozie opened scoring for the Falcons as the team maintained the lead till the end of the first half.

    On resumption of the second half the Nigerians increased the tempo producing three goals thanks to, Francesca Ordega, Rashidat Ajibade and late substitute Amarachi Okoronkwo.

    It was however not the best of days for Assisat Oshoala as she missed no fewer than four scoring chances.

    She had before the match declared that the team will fight to the finish, a commitment which came to pass without her name on the score sheet.

    The team will next take Equatorial Guinea on Saturday in the last group game