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  • Mar, Mon, 2020
Sport

NFF calls up 40 for Falconets’ clash with Burkina Faso

Falconets
Abuja, March 2, 2020 (NAN) The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) on Monday in Abuja said it has invited to the national female under-20 team’s camp 40 players to begin preparations for Nigeria’s clash with Burkina Faso.

Ademola Olajire, NFF’s Director of Communications, disclosed in a statement that the players comprised six goalkeepers, 10 defenders, 10 midfielders and 14 strikers.

“The Falconets will set up camp in Abuja as from Tuesday, ahead of their 2020 FIFA Undere-20 Women’s World Cup qualifying fixture against Burkina Faso, billed for this month,’’ he said.

Olajire said the first leg of the second round qualifying fixture would take place at the August 4 Stadium in Ouagadougou on March 21.

“The return leg will hold a week later at the Agege Stadium in Lagos.’’

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Burkinabes had edged out Gambia 3-2 on aggregate in the first round of the campaign.

 Two-time World Cup runners-up Nigeria have participated at every edition of the FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup since it was launched as an Under-19 tournament in Canada 18 years ago.

This year’s finals will be co-hosted by Costa Rica and Panama.

The NFF had approved for the team the appointment of Moses Adukwu as the First Assistant Coach, with Bilikisu Tijani as the Second Assistant and Audu Yahaya as Goalkeepers’ Trainer.

Adukwu will hold forth as head of the technical crew pending the appointment of a Head Coach.

LIST OF INVITED PLAYERS

Goalkeepers: Rita Akarekor (Bayelsa Queens); Christiana Obia (Osun Babes); Chiamaka Nnadozie (Paris FC, France); Omini Oyono (Confluence Queens); Christy Obis (Osun Babes); Nelly Ekeh (Bayelsa Queens)

Defenders: Omowunmi Oshobukola (Sunshine Queens); Chdinma Okeke (Madrid CFF, Spain); Esther Momoh (Confuence Queens); Ifeoma Ikenokwalu (Rivers Angels); Sarah Oloduba (Osun Babes)

Margaret Etim (Rivers Angels); Akudo Ogbonna (Sunshine Queens); Ifeoma Paulinus (Rivers Angels); Rebecca Ajimuda (Edo Queens); Tosin Dameline (Sunshine Queens)

Midfielders: Mary Saiki (Nasarawa Amazons); Basirat Amoo (Confluence Queens); Folasade Ijamilusi (FC Robo); Adebisi Saheed (Bayelsa Queens); Esther Onyenezide (FC Robo)

Rose Ekong (Sunshine Queens); Mary Adeyemi (Osun Babes); Suliat Abideen (Sunshine Queens); Celine Ottah (Bayelsa Queens); Patricia Innocent (Sunshine Queens)

Forwards: Dooshima Tarnum (Nasarawa Amazons); Grace Igboamalu (Nasarawa Amazons); Precious Christopher; Rafiat Sule; Gift Monday (FC Robo); Mary Anjor (Bayelsa Queens)

Esther Adeboye; Blessing Okpe (Rivers Angels); Augusta Nwamaka (Confluence Queens); Marian Ezenagu (Rivers Angels); Mary Alfred (Confluence Queens); Precious Vincent (Sunshine Queens); Joy Omewa (Confluence Queens); Joy Jerry (Bayelsa Queens)
(NAN)
OLAL
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(Edited by Olawale Alabi)

Sport

Ajibade says Falconets’ quarter-final exit a bitter pill to swallow, thanks fans for support

Disappointment
By Victor Okoye
Abuja, Aug. 17, 2018 (NAN) Rasheedat Ajibade, the Falconets’ stand-in captain, on Friday said it was massively disappointing to lose to Spain on Thursday at the ongoing FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup in France.

Ajibade, while expressing her disappointment over the team’s quarter-finals exit after a 1-2 loss, said the national under-20 women football team’s was a bitter pill for her to swallow.

Ajibade who captained the team in their last group game against China took to her Twitter handle to express her disappointment over the team’s loss.

“In God we trust, united we stand.

“Competitive game that we narrowly lost against Spain. Hurts deep,” she tweeted.

“But I am grateful to have captained Team Nigeria and proud we reached the Q-finals.

“Thank you all for the support.#Togetherwearestronger#RA08#U20WWC.”

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that to reach the quarter-finals stage, the Falconets defeated Haiti 1-0 and drew 1-1 with China, after an opening-day 0-1 loss to Germany.(NAN)
VO/OLAL
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(Edited by Olawale Alabi)

Sport

Falconets are players of Nigeria’s future, coach Danjuma says

NAN-S-7
Future
By Igbaugba Ehigimetor
Benin, Jan. 29, 2018 (NAN) The Falconets’ Chief Coach, Christopher Danjuma, on Monday in Benin described the present crop of players in the Falconets team as “players of the future’’.

The coach told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the players were not only technically and tactically gifted but highly intelligent as well.

“The team is what I can call `work-in-progress’, but Nigeria has a lot to hope with this set of players.

“Apart from the discipline the players exhibited all through the just-ended 2018 FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup Qualifiers, they are always willing to learn and they also try to improve on their past performances.

“I see a future of Nigeria in this present team of under-20 girls. It is evident from the games they play that they don’t just score goals but work the goals as a team,” he said.

Danjuma, who said he never nursed any fears about his opponents prior to the commencement of the qualifiers, described the fixture against Moroccans as the most tasking.

“The Moroccans are not difficult per se, but the big challenge is in the sense that we have the opportunity to take them up in Rabat but we did not.

“There was now a delay in getting goals as we came to Benin for the second leg.

“The Moroccan players are individually technically good. They are sound individually.

“So, I will not say it was a difficult match, but a stretched one because the goals did not come on time and this in a way stretched the players’ mentality.

“You know we are a team that always scored in the first half of every one of our matches.”

On his plans for the team, the coach said the team would be beefed up before the World Cup to be hosted by France in August.

He said his desire was not just to qualify for the World Cup, but to make an impact by either matching or surpassing the country’s previous achievement at the tournament.

“It is good that we know what is at stake. It is not just to qualify in Africa, not just to be a good representative, but to make an impact at the global stage.

“As we are now done with the qualifiers, we will go back to the drawing board to begin to build on successes recorded from the qualifiers.

“We will beef up the squad, and we will be doing 70 per cent beefing up because this is no longer African affair, and we will be facing the world next.

“If you want to go far at the world stage or achieve our goal, then we need to beef up the team.

“We have good goal scoring record, with over 20 goals scored and conceding only two. It is now for us to work on their mentality level, now that we are at the world stage.

“We are going to also beef up the mentality of the players to let them know that Africa is done with, and that they are now facing the world,’’ Danjuma said.

He said the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has already requested that a proposal for the team’s plans towards the World Cup be submitted.

On the friendly matches lined up for the team, the coach said the draws for the World Cup would decide the type of countries to play the friendly matches with.

“Whoever the draws pitch us with will determine the kind of friendly matches to be played.”

Speaking on the team’s star player, Rasheedat Ajibade, Danjuma said she was still learning.

“She is a player that is still cutting her teeth. She is still learning because she is young and just coming up.

“She is a player who is willing to learn and give her best in every match, not just in goal scoring but being a team member or player. This is very important.

“But in the next four to five years, we are going to have many Ajibades,’’ he said.

NAN reports that the Falconets on Saturday qualified for the 9th FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup, after defeating the Besetsana of South Africa 8-0 aggregate in the qualifiers’ final round.

The team had earlier defeated their Tanzanian and Moroccan counterparts.(NAN)
ESI/COO/OLAL
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(Edited by Cecilia Odey and Olawale Alabi)

Sport

Obaseki charges Falconets on FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup ticket pursuit

NAN-S-19
Ticket
By Monday Ajogun
Benin, Jan. 22, 2018 (NAN) Gov. Godwin Obaseki of Edo has charged the national under-20 women football team to ensure they secure victory on Saturday to qualify for the 2018 FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup.

Obaseki, represented by his deputy, Philip Shaibu, said on Monday in Benin when he visited the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium to watch the team’s training said he was totally supporting them.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Falconets are preparing for the Africa Zone Qualification Competition Final Round second leg match against South Africa on Saturday in Benin.

The first leg match played over a week ago had seen the Falconets drawing 1-1 with hosts South Africa.

“I pledge my support, to ensure that Saturday’s match ends in your favour. So, adhere to all your programme during your training sessions so as to ensure you secure qualification,’’ Obaseki said.

He called on all residents of the state to join the players at the stadium by 4 p.m. on Saturday to cheer them to victory.

Responding on behalf of the team, Falconets’ Head Coach, Christopher Danjuma, lauded the Edo State Government for its support for the team since they started playing in Benin.

“I can assure you that we, the players and officials, will do the state proud,’’ he said.

NAN reports that the 2018 FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup finals will hold in France in August.(NAN)
AJOM/OLAL
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(Edited by Olawale Alabi)

 

Sport

Audio Attached: World Cup qualifier: Falconets depart for South Africa on Wednesday in search of world cup ticket

NAN-S-19

Qualifier

By Ijeoma Okigbo

Abuja, Jan. 9, 2018 (NAN) Nigeria’s U-20 female national team, the Falconets, are expected to depart the country on Wednesday ahead of their final U-20 World cup qualifying match against South Africa.

 

Mr. Christopher Danjuma, the team’s head coach, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Abuja that the Falconets were optimistic of securing one of the two tickets to the World Cup.

 

Danjuma said that the managers of the team had been putting everything in place to ensure that the ladies took part in the age-grade event in France.

 

Cue in audio (Danjuma)

 

“Training has been wonderful. We have been putting everything in place, by the grace of God, to make sure that we go to South Africa and make Nigerians proud.

 

“When we started this campaign, we knew that the bar that has always been set in this category has been a high one and you know how passionate we are about football.

 

“So, it is the same mindset, the same level of responsibility we carry in the preparation and in going for any of these matches to make sure that Nigeria is represented in France 2018’’.

 

Cue out audio

 

The Falconets take on the South Africans on Saturday with the return leg scheduled to hold in Nigeria in a fortnight.

 

The winner of the fixture will pick one of the two tickets for the World Cup which will hold in August.

 

The Nigerian ladies have taken part in all editions of the tournament since it began.

 

It was first conducted in 2002 as the FIFA U-19 Women’s World Championship with an upper age limit of 19.

 

In 2006, the age limit was raised to the current 20.

 

The event was renamed as a World Cup effective with the 2008 competition, making its name consistent with FIFA’s other worldwide competitions for national teams. (NAN)

IHA/HAS/YEE

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Edited by Hajiya Sani/Emmanuel Yashim

Sport

FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup Qualifiers: Beninoise to officiate Nigeria/Morocco encounter

NAN-S-16
Officials
By Bushrah Yusuf-Badmus
Ilorin, Nov. 14, 2017 (NAN) The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has appointed Aurore Ligan of Benin Republic as centre referee for the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup second round fixture involving Nigeria and Morocco.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Nigeria’s Falconets will lock horns with their Moroccan counterparts on Saturday in the second leg qualifier at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin.

Ligan will be assisted by compatriots Tempa Fouti Da (Assistant Referee 1), Sonia Louis (Assistant Referee 2) and Beatrice Gouchoedou (Fourth Official).

The match commissioner is Souadatou Djallo-Kalkaba from Cameroon while Ivorian Athacou Agathe will be the referee assessor.

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has disclosed that the players and officials of the U-20 women national team of Morocco would arrive in Lagos in the early hours of Wednesday.

“The delegation from Morocco will then be flown to Benin City, venue of Saturday’s clash, on Wednesday evening,’’ the federation said in a statement on Tuesday.

NAN reports that the first leg match in Sale on Nov. 5 ended in a 1-1 draw, and the winners on aggregate will qualify for the final round of the African qualification series.(NAN)
BAY/OLAL
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(Edited by Olawale Alabi)

Sport

Ajibade’s equaliser helps Falconets hold hosts Morocco

NAN-S-16
Falconets
By Victor Okoye
Abuja, Nov. 5, 2017 (NAN) A late first half equaliser by Rasheedat Ajibade on Sunday helped Nigeria’s under-20 women football team hold their Moroccan counterparts to a 1-1 draw at the Stade Boubker Ammar in Sale.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the match against Morocco was a second round first leg fixture in the 2018 FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup qualifiers.

With the first leg draw in Sale, the Falconets will now need a simple victory in the second leg against the Moroccans in a fortnight in Benin.

The winner of the fixture will progress to face either South Africa or Burundi in the third and final round scheduled for January.(NAN)
VO/OLAL
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(Edited by Olawale Alabi)

 

Sport

France 2018 Qualifiers: Be abreast of new rules, avoid over-confidence, ex-referee cautions Falconets

NAN-S-19
Advice
By Kevin Okunzuwa
Benin, Sept. 14, 2017 (NAN) A retired FIFA- badged referee, Taiwo Osawe, on Thursday in Benin cautioned the national under-20 women football team and their handlers against being over-confident against Tanzania on Saturday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Falconets host their Tanzanian counterparts in the African qualifiers of the 2018 FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup billed for France.

The match will be played at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin

“The technical team should rather instil in the players the revised amendment rules of the game to avoid technical pitfalls during the match,” Osawe told NAN.

He said some of the new rules include what constitutes offside positioning, fouls, interactions and behaviour on and off the pitch of play.

“Luckily, many of the national coaches attended the five-day seminar held here in Benin few weeks ago, where FIFA and CAF instructors taught them the latest amendments to the laws of the game.

“In essence, you may have a good team and a solid plan and strategy up your sleeve, but lacking knowledge of these latest rules of the game may rob you of the desired victory,” the retired FIFA-badged referee said.

NAN reports that the Falconets, who arrived the ancient city late Tuesday night, have been training since Wednesday at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, venue of the match.

Their opponents are expected to arrive in Abuja on Thursday and proceed to Benin same day.

The second leg tie of the fixture will take place in Dar es Salaam on Sept. 30.

The winners over two legs will tackle the winners of the Morocco/Senegal clash in the second round in November.

NAN reports also that the 9th FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup finals will be staged in four cities in France from Aug. 7 to Aug. 26 in 2018.(NAN)
KOO/OLAL
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(Edited by Olawale Alabi)