Tottenham Hotspur manager and former Ange Postecoglou has thrown his support behind the Australian women’s national team ahead of the 2023 FIFA World Cup.
Australia will co-host this year’s tournament, which will begin on July 20, alongside New Zealand.
The Matildas are in Group B with Canada, Nigeria’s Super Falcons and Republic of Ireland.
They will open their campaign in Sydney on July 20 against the Irish, then play Nigeria in Brisbane on July 27 and Canada in Melbourne four days later.
Looking forward to the start of the tournament Postecoglou, former Australia men’s national team head coach, urged the Matildas to seize their “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” of a Women’s World Cup and “create history” on home soil.
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“To Tony and all the girls, I just want to wish you all the very best in the World Cup,” Postecoglou said in a video on Optus Sport.
“Go hard, girls.
“This is the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Tournament on home soil, reminiscent of us winning the Asian Cup with the Socceroos.
“You can create history and I’ve got no doubt you will.
“Do your best – I know you will and you’ve got everyone’s support, whether that’s back home or over here in London. Go well,” Postecoglou said.
Meanwhile, the Matildas take on world No.5 France in their final tune-up game at Marvel Stadium on Friday night.
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.Super Falcons Get Vote of Confidence.
Ahead of their first game of the 2023 Women’s World Cup in less than two weeks’ time, our dearly beloved Super Falcons have been described as a hard-nosed formidable outfit despite their highly publicized administrative bottlenecks bubbling in the background.
“Nigeria are going to be unpredictable to play against”, said former Australian Woman Footballer-turned-Pundit Catherine Cannuli on the Keep Up Australia podcast.
I was delighted to hear a foreign observer talk about our Falcons in a manner rarely posited at home or abroad.
As I listened further, Catherine went on to say: “I think they are going to be tough. You know with Nigeria, they are going to come out, they are going to be athletic, they are going to be fiery, and they are going to press you.”
In fairness to Randy Waldrum, he did qualify Nigeria for this World Cup in the hardest way possible.
In having to overcome the meanest, baddest and most ruthless African femme fatales in Ivory Coast, noisy neighbors Ghana and irrepressible Cameroon to qualify for this tournament, it is hard to make a case for labeling him with the sobriquet “Super Falcons Worst Ever Coach.”
It’s like Gareth Southgate being pelted with putrid omelette after overcoming Germany, France and Italy to snatch a solo world cup ticket for the Three Lions.
And Catherine Cannuli captured some of the attributes that Waldrum employed to overcome Nigeria’s foes on the continent when she added: “Nigeria are going to be on the front foot all the time in this tournament. No one can go into that group thinking they can easily extract three points out of the Super Falcons.” She concluded.
I have been on vigil on the NFF’s twitter handle to see whether there are fresh videos of the team’s training sessions ; so far nothing but I think all is well on the training front. I am banking on Personal Trainer Kyle Quigley to weave his magic.
Our first match against Canada is fast approaching, I can hardly wait.
_ Friendly Finally _
Reports making the rounds in some social media platforms indicate that the Super Falcons will take on Lions FC, a local Australian women’s football club in a friendly in Brisbane, Australia on Saturday.
The encounter is slated for the Gold Coast Sports and Leisure Centre. It remains to be seen whether the NFF will deem it necessary to stream it live.
I am yet to see this game being formally announced in any official NFF media platforms. If it proves to be accurate, it is the first friendly arranged for the Super Falcons since the team started preparations for 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup to be co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand last week.
The friendly will afford head coach Randy Waldrum to perfect his tactics and formation ahead of the competition. Up until now, the Super Falcons’have been going through physical training sessions assiduously.
We are drawn in Group B with Olympic champions, Canada, co-hosts Australia and debutants Republic of Ireland.
Nigeria are dark horses in the group. As underdogs, they are hoping to subvert this status by using it as their trump card with which to spring up seismic surprises.
I pray for surprise but which one of Canada and Australia will up their slot for Falcons? No best loser forthwith as only top 2 advance to R16
In the words of budding midfielder Deborah Abiodun: “impossibility is nothing”.