The President of Nigeria Football Federation, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau, as well as Chairman of the NFF Women’s Football Committee, Ms Aisha Falode and the General Secretary, Dr Mohammed Sanusi will be in the stands to cheer the Super Falcons in Saturday’s international friendly match against the Les Bleues of France in Angers.
The match comes up inside the 18,000 -capacity Stade Raymond Kopa – home ground of Ligue 1 side Angers SCO, and which was opened in 1912 and renovated seven years ago.
Madugu and his charges are set to have the official training session at the match venue on Friday evening, with the Coach robbed of a defender following injury to Turkey-based dependable centre-back Oluwatosin Demehin.
Both teams last clashed nearly five-and-half years ago, when the Super Falcons needed a result to progress to the Round of 16 at the FIFA Women’s World Cup finals. Hosts France edged the tie by the odd goal, after Wendie Renard’s twice-taken penalty kick with 11 minutes left on the clock.
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The defeat notwithstanding, the Super Falcons made the Round of 16 as results in another pool weighed in their favour, while France finished top of their group with the maximum nine points from three matches.
On Saturday night, Madugu will have to decide which of England-based Rofiat Imuran and home-girl Sikiratu Isah will pair veteran Osinachi Ohale at the heart of the defence, with Michelle Alozie and returning Ashley Plumptre expected to man the wing-back positions.
Madugu may also decide to use another home-girl, Shukurat Oladipo in her accustomed centre-back position.
Portugal-based Christy Ucheibe, England-based Toni Payne and France-based Jennifer Echegini (who scored Nigeria’s only goal at the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament in France this summer) are available in the middle, alongside home-based professionals Adoo Yina and Josephine Mathias.
At the fore, with Captain Rasheedat Ajibade also not in Angers as a result of injury, much will be expected of the Spain-based duo of Gift Monday and Rinsola Babajide, with home -girl Mercy Omokwo, as well as Egypt-based Blessing Nkor and France-based Ifeoma Onumonu, also available.
5 Comments
Who cares if they are going to be present for the match? They should collect their estacode and go sit down jare
Arara Kunde, Olaosebikan North, Segun East and Ashley South will all be there.
Loool! Thieves! Of course they’ll pack their thieving bags and head off – any excuse no matter how lame for them to travel abroad and leave the hungry masses behind – If these were any sort of decent human beings, what they should have done (seeing the present predicament of the masses) would have been to do a nationwide lottery and let poor families enter for a chance for 2 families to go and watch the game live instead of their over-fed, greedy, self serving selves, or pick 4 sick or ill kids from hospitals across the nation to give the chance to travel out and watch the game, and they can always watch like most of the rest of the nation on tv, cable or whatever –
Mehn when will Nigeria become a respectable, functioning nation and not an anomaly ruled by greedy, self serving, thieving illiterates!
Jesus take control.
Another waste of money. There are many Nigerians in France to support the team.
The presence of these politicians is enough to make the girls lose the match.
Same set of people will come to media tomorrow and be saying that NFF don’t have money but they have plenty money to waste on themselves. What a bunch of idiots.
What time guys?