Sports
Falcons Depart Camp For W/Cup
The Nigerian National female football team, Super Falcons, departed their Avita Resort in Bad Tatzmannsdorf camp in Austria, yesterday for France for the 8thFIFA Women’s World Cup finals.
Demola Olajire, the Director of Communication of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) said in a statement on Monday that the team was on a two-week residential camp in Austria.
“ The team was on a two-week residential camp at the Avita Resort in Bad Tatzmannsdorf and will spend Monday night in Vienna before flying to Paris on Tuesday for the 8th FIFA Women’s World Cup finals.
“The team is in high spirits in camp after handsome wins in two friendly matches against top clubs in Eastern Europe; the team defeated the Hungarian Premier Division side, Halandas Viktoria 5-1 in Hungary and recorded three goals against ZNK Pormuje in Slovenia,’’ Olajire said.
He said that individual accomplishments are also a booster for the team.
“Asisat Oshoala, who scored a brace in each of the friendly matches, has secured a substantive contract with FC Barcelona Ladies in Spain.
“ Only weeks ago, she became the first African to score in the final of the UEFA Women’s League, even as FC Barcelona lost to defending champions Olympique Lyon in France.
“Uchenna Kalu, who scored the other goal against Pormuje on Sunday, is in a rich vein of form, after scoring nine goals to emerge top scorer of the WAFU Women’s Cup of Nations in Abidjan, just before the trip to Austria.
“There is a new bounce to the steps of power forward Desire Oparanozie, who has been made captain of the squad, and energetic winger Francisca Ordega is rearing to go after fully settling down to football life in China.
“Petite forward Rasheedat Ajibade will be attending her first major finals as a foreign-based professional, and Chinwendu Ihezuo, who scored against Viktoria in Hungary, is also in great mood after settling down in China.
“Goalkeeper Tochukwu Oluehi, defenders Onome Ebi, Osinachi Ohale and Ngozi Ebere and midfielders Ngozi Okobi and Halimatu Ayinde, who played key roles in Nigeria’s triumph at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations finals in Ghana late last year, are all confident the Falcons can pull surprises in France,’’ Olajire said.
Tidesports source reports that Falcons in Group A, are up against Norway in their first match of the 8th FIFA Women’s World Cup at the Stade Auguste Delauney in Reims on Saturday.
The team will also play Korea Republic on June 12 in Grenoble and host nation France in Rennes on June 17.
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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