The Nigeria Football Association
(NFA) has said that the national U-20 women team, Falconets would embark on a training tour on July 6, ahead of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup.
NFA’s Director of Competitions, Mohammed Sanusi, told newsmen on Monday in Abuja that the tour would be in Canada, the host country for the tournament.
“The Falconets will embark on their training tour on July 6 and the tour will be in Canada, the host country of the World Cup they are preparing for.
“The essence of the tour is for them to acclimatise with the place before the tournament starts, so that the change in weather will not affect their performance.
“The tour will also afford them the opportunity to play quality friendly matches with high profile teams to keep them in tune for the World Cup,’’ he said.
On the team’s level of preparedness, Sanusi said that there was room for improvement, adding that “they don’t look too good for the World Cup’’.
He added that though the team’s group foes pose no threat to their progression to the second round, NFA would leave no stone unturned to ensure they got the best preparations.
“The team has been drawn with England, Mexico and Korea and of all the teams, it is only Korea that has been a hard nut to crack for the Falconets in the past years.
“But that is not to say that they can hinder our qualification from the group stage.
“This is because the other two teams have been the teams that we have beaten in this age- grade tournament in the past years.
“But in spite of the teams’ pedigree, we will not take things for granted; the association will not stop at anything to give the team the best,’’ Sanusi said.
“We are not setting any target for them because that will put them under unnecessary pressure, the only thing we do is to give them all they need and urge them to do well,’’ Sanusi said.
The Falconets were drawn in Group C with England, Mexico and Korea for the tournament in its seventh edition.
The 16-nation tournament is scheduled to hold in Canada from August 5 to 24.