Sports
New Super Falcons List Excites Fans
Football fans yesterday commended Super Falcons Coach, Eucharia Uche, for including 26 home-based players in the 32 players she invited for the August 28, 2012 Olympics qualifier against the Lionesses of Cameroon in Abuja.
Tidesports reports that the players, including six foreign-based, began training in Abuja on Monday for the first leg of the national assignment.
The President, Female Football Interest Group (FFIG), Henrietta Ukaigwe, lauded the Super Falcons list, saying it has gien the home-based players opportunity to show their talents.
Ukaigwe urged the coach to start grooming them early for the London 2012 Olympic Games through international friendly matches.
“ The home-based players should be groomed properly through international friendly matches to ensure they blend when they qualify for the Olympics,’’ Ukaigwe said.
She also commended the early camping of the girls and expressed optimism that Nigeria would do well against Cameroon in the qualifier.
Former Super Falcons player, Gift Sowemimo, told newsmen that the team list had young players who had been monitored in the Nigeria Women Premier League (NWPL).
She said the 26 players were talented, adding that it was an opportunity for them to show that women football was still vibrant in Nigeria.
Sowemimo advised the team not to underrate the Lionesses.
“The Super Falcons should draw from the lesson learnt at the All Africa Games qualifiers against Ghana and ensure that the Olympics ticket does not elude Nigeria,’’ she said.
The ex-player said early preparation would help the players to excel and that the matches should be taken seriously to ensure their success at the Olympics.
Rolandson Odeh, President, Amalgamation of Nigerian Female Football Coaches Association, said that the call up gave the home-based players the opportunity to display their skills.
“This is the right step at the right time. With the inclusion of the home-based players, we will have a formidable national team “The foreign-based players’ inclusion has not really been justified because they usually find it difficult to blend with the local ones. “We have been clamouring for the use of local players in prosecuting matches. The list is good,’’ Odeh said.
The list has Perpetua Nkwocha, Emueje Ogbigbevba, Rita Chikwelu, Onome Ebi, Helen Ukaonu, Faith Ikidi, Precious Dede, Tochukwu Oluehi, Ebubeleye White, Osinachi Ohale, Ebere Orji and Stella Mbachu.
Others are Desire Oparanozie, Francesca Ordega, Rebecca Kalu, Esther Sunday, Tawa Ishola, Blessing Edoho, Josephine Chukwunonye, Immense Aighewi, Joy Jegede and Gloria Ofoegbu.
The championship will run from today to October 12 at the International Conference Centre, Umuahia. On the ground for the championship are athletes from Brazil, Peru, Egypt, Cameroon, Tunisia, Nigeria, Mauritius and Rwanda. They arrived on Sunday.
Some of the other countries were expected in the Abia State capital yesterday. Speaking on the championship, yesterday, Abia State Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Nwobilor Ananaba, said the chief host, Governor Alex Otti, has mobilised facilities and the personnel to ensure a successful event.
Speaking through the Special Assistant to the Governor on Sports, Raymond Chima Ukwa, said: “We have the best mats, playing mats, especially the wheelchair playing mats, which is the first of its kind in West Africa.
“If you go around, you’ll see the hall and the preparation that has been made to ensure that people have an equitable world-class playing field.” Thrilled by Governor Otti’s support for the competition, Badminton Federation of Nigeria (BFN) President, Francis Orbih, said that, besides making all the necessary arrangements that will ensure a successful hosting of the events, “we will have a Para-Badminton workshop for coaches and players.
“Nigeria is doing well, Abia is doing well, and we want to do better to improve on where we are, which is why all these have been put together by Governor Otti.”
Nigeria’s Flying Eagles began their campaign at the 24th FIFA U20 World Cup with a narrow 1–0 loss to Norway on Monday, despite creating several opportunities to level the game.
Norway took the lead in the 9th minute after being awarded a controversial penalty. The Flying Eagles pressed for an equaliser but were denied two penalty claims in the second half.
Kparobo Arierhi came close in the 47th minute when his shot drifted wide with the goalkeeper beaten, while Tahir Maigana struck the upright in the 63rd minute.
Nasiru Salihu’s rising effort in the 71st minute also went narrowly over the bar, drawing gasps from the crowd.
Seven minutes from time, Maigana again tested Norway with a long-range strike that went just wide as Nigeria continued to pile on the pressure.
Despite their dominance, the Flying Eagles could not find the breakthrough and now turn their attention to Thursday’s clash against Saudi Arabia in their second group match.
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