Sports
Green Falcons complete Ghana double ahead World Rugby Series
After a humbling 40-0 defeat in the first game on Tuesday, the Ghanaians were more resilient on Saturday and were delighted to keep the scoreline more respectable.
Nigeria got off the blocks as quickly as possible with a couple of tries in the opening stages, as the Ghanaians trailed 12-2 at halftime.
Ghana showed more intent in the second half and halved the deficit to 16-8.
The friendly encounter became more intense with some hits and fists between the players, but that was doused by a Nigerian try, Faustina Akeje, who took Nigeria’s tries to 20.
The Green Falcons added one more try to end the game at 24-8.
General Manager of the NRLA, Isah Lawal, said the results of the friendly games will reflect in the team’s tactics ahead of the World Series.
“We wanted to make this game more structured and more constructed, and them being able to score this time, we don’t see it as a negative, but now we know the areas to tighten up and make sure we are sharp at the tournament,” he said.
Chairman of the Nigeria Rugby League Association, Abiodun Cole, expressed confidence in the team’s ability ahead of the World Series.
“We have fantastic guys in Alaro City behind us, and we also have a lot of support from ex-players who are home and abroad. The team’s strategy involves combining local players with those based abroad to create a formidable squad.
“With faith in their abilities and God’s guidance, the team is looking forward to putting up a good show in Canada.”
The friendly matches offered the Green Falcons the opportunity to fine-tune their tactics ahead of a more significant test, their participation in the inaugural Rugby League World Series in Canada later this month.
Nigeria will compete against Ireland, Fiji, and hosts Canada for the final qualification spot at the 2026 Women’s Rugby League World Cup in Australia and Papua New Guinea.
ON finals, which will be staged in Morocco.
Benin Republic’s interim coach Abdoulaye Ouzérou has released the list of players who will represent the Cheetah Queens as they battle the reigning African champions for a place in the final qualifying round.
Ouzérou’s squad features a mix of experienced players and emerging talents drawn from both local and foreign clubs.
According to the Benin Football Federation, the team has been in camp for over a week, focusing on tactical discipline and physical conditioning to face the star-studded Nigerian side.
The Super Falcons are the defending champions after defeating Morocco in the last edition’s final, and will be aiming to continue their dominance on the continent.
Nigeria is expected to announce its final squad in the coming days, with head coach Justine Madugu likely to retain most of the players who featured in the last international window.
The two-legged encounter promises to be intense, as Benin seeks to pull off a major upset against one of Africa’s most successful women’s teams.