A letter from world football-governing body, FIFA, informed the Nigeria Football Federation of the development on Thursday evening
Browsing: Super Falcons
The match is the opener to the African qualifying campaign for the Women’s Football Tournament of the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro and has been brought forward by two weeks as a result of a special appeal by the Nigeria Football Federation
At a meeting in Abuja, Akinwunmi, who is acting in the absence of President Amaju Pinnick, said the players have to “change your game” and in the process bring a positive change to the women football brand
The one-time Director of Sports in Cross River State, who led the delegation of the U-23 boys to their triumph in Zambia at the weekend, insisted that players and coaches of both teams should immediately put celebration on the shelf and think of the next big challenge
Nigeria’s head coach, Edwin Okon, took no chances in the return fixture, calling up big guns, Desire Oparanozie and reigning African footballer of the year, Asisat Oshoala, to shore up his squad for Friday’s game
Coach of the team, Edwin Okon, who announced the break while briefing the players, said the camp will close with effect from Thursday and the girls will return to camp on Monday
The team arrived Abuja aboard Ethiopia Air and drove straight to their hotel
Oshoala, who now plies her trade with Liverpool Ladies, told Super Falcons Media Officer, Gracious Akujobi, from her base in the United Kingdom, that the girls in camp are equal to the task at hand and will surely deliver
Nigeria’s Falcons, champions of Africa, have returned to camp in Abuja at the weekend and will also be preparing for the qualifiers of the Women’s Football Tournament of the 2016 Olympic Games, against the same Malians, as well as the 7th FIFA Women’s World Cup finals in Canada this summer
Coach Edwin Okon has already called 36 players, who are expected to arrive at the Serob Legacy Hotel, Abuja latest Sunday evening with their training kits, international passports and birth certificates, to kick-start the build-up
The qualifiers for All Africa Games and the Olympics will soon begin and the girls will give it their all to make sure they qualify for these two events
Sanusi told the News Agency of Nigeria it was unlikely the national senior female team would participate in the tournament because of the competitions ahead of the team
Oshoala, who is fondly called Superzee, beat her compatriot, Desire Oparanozie, and Annette Ngom of Cameeoon to the Woman player of the year award
A statement from the team’s Media Officer, Gracious Akujobi, quoted the national senior women’s team coach as saying he was not afraid of the big names in the group
The NFF supremo spoke on Saturday night, hours after the African champions were drawn in the same group with United States of America, Australia and Sweden at the finals taking place from June 6 to July 5, 2015 across six Canadian cities
The Minister of Sports and Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Dr. Tammy Danagogo, had told the media shortly after the ladies lifted the trophy that they would be treated with a grand reception on Wednesday after the Federal Executive Council meeting
The Minister of Sports and Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Dr. Tammy Danagogo, made the disclosure
Okon, who is also the head coach of Rivers Angels FC of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, led the Super Falcons to emerge champions for the seventh time at the African Women Championship in Namibia on Saturday evening
Nigeria’s Francesca Ordega was also named Player of the final match against the Les Lionesses of Cameroon
Nigeria, Cameroon and Ivory Coast will represent Africa at the 2015 Fifa Women’s World Cup in Canada