President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan on Saturday spoke with members of the national under-20 women’s football team, the Falconets, and exhorted them to go all out for victory against their German counterparts in Sunday’s final of the 2014 FIFA U-20 Women World Cup in Canada.
President Jonathan, who is currently on a private visit to Germany, called the Falconets at their base in Montreal at about 3:15pm Nigerian time.
Jonathan spoke with the captain of the team, Patience Okaeme; top scorer, Asisat Oshoala; Assistant Captain, Deborah Okoye; Courtney Dike; Uchechi Sunday; the delegation leader, Chief Felix Anyansi Agwu; the Head Coach Peter Dedevbo; and other members of his team.
The President, who commended the players for getting to the finals of the tournament once again, urged them to do their best to exceed their 2010 second place finish by overcoming the German team on Sunday and bringing greater glory, pride and joy to soccer-loving Nigerians.
He said: “You have done very well by getting to the final.
“I urge you to crown your efforts with ultimate victory tomorrow by playing with the greatest possible artistry, discipline, determination and patriotic zeal.
“I look forward to receiving you at the Presidential Villa with the winners’ trophy and you can be assured of the immense gratitude of the Federal Government and the very appreciative people of Nigeria.”
Jonathan assured the Falconets that although because of time difference it will be very late in the night in Germany by the time the final begins in Montreal, he will stay up to watch the game with his aides and join millions of other Nigerians at home and across the world in cheering them to victory.
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