President of Nigeria Football Federation, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau will be at the forefront of the support group when the country’s U17 girls, Flamingos tackle Colombia in the semi-finals of this year’s FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup in Goa on Wednesday.
The NFF boss, who has spoken with the players and officials severally during their earlier games in the tournament, will physically witness the semi-final showdown at the Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Goa. It is the first semi-final, starting at 4pm (12noon Nigeria time) with the second semi-final between Germany and Spain to kick off three-and-half hours later.
Victory over Colombia – who defeated the only other African team to make the knockout stage, Tanzania 3-0 in the last eight – will shoot the Flamingos into Sunday’s final.
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The Flamingos’ odyssey in India has had an uncanny resemblance to that of the Nigeria U20 girls, Falconets in Germany 12 years ago, at least from the quarter-final stage.
In 2010, in what was the first international tournament for any Nigeria team under the presidency of Alhaji Aminu Maigari, the Falconets had beaten the United States 4-2 in a penalty shootout in a FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup quarter-final after both teams tied 1-1 in regulation time in Augsburg.
Four days later, a 2nd minute goal by Ebere Orji at the Bielefelder Alm in the city of Bielefeld condemned Colombia to defeat in the semi final, and the Falconets squared up to Germany in the final.
The Flamingos are the first Nigeria team to be involved in a tournament during the presidency of Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau. They have beaten the United States in a penalty shootout after 1-1 draw in a World Cup quarter-final, and now await Colombia in the semi-finals.
It is also remarkable that Germany, Nigeria’s opponents in the final in Germany 12 years ago, are also in the semi-finals in India. They play Spain in the second semi-final on Wednesday.
6 Comments
Pls do not go and those girls with your bad luck. Your hands are not clean as you and I know. It’s on record that any time the NFF throng the scence of a football match to Support any Nigeria team they lose. So pls oga stay clear from those innocent girls till their objective is attained. You can then reward them any how u like
They have gone this far without your presence. Why not just allow these girls to focus for crying out loud? It will be massive especially to female football in Nigeria for flamingoes to win the cup. So please Gasau stay behind n let them finish this good job. Ooyeranuu.
@Glory, you know the man want to collect estacode from the government. Tyat is one of the means they collect money drom government. Don’t be surprised if sports ministry send there own delegation too.
I don’t understand y this thing is sweeting Dem and dey make it to pain us.which is better Olympic football qualifications for u 23; or female u 17 win … Tanzania football managers will be coming on same flight from Kigali with the referees for the 2 ND leg match in Ibadan…
After we wil say n/Africa are better.
Every is politics.
The height of joblessness…!
This is a tournament of teenage girls that only requires the presence of the director of competitions and/or the head of women’s or youth football in the FA.
How many FA presidents have abandoned their duty posts to go burn tax payers funds in “supporting” little girls having fun on the pitch…?
Im sure Sunday Dare and his side-kicks must also be packing their bags to go to India by now. Ditto members of the national assembly.
Shameless people.
We pray for the success of flamingo.