Head Coach Bankole Olowookere has invited 25 players to the camp of the U17 Girls’ National Team ahead of this month’s FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup India 2022 third round fixture against their Egyptian counterparts.
The Flamingos trounced their counterparts from the Democratic Republic of Congo 8-0 on aggregate (3-0 in Kinshasa and 5-0 in Benin City) to reach the third round of the series. Two goals from Opeyemi Ajakaiye and one each from Tumininu Adeshina, Anastasia Atume and Taiwo Afolabi accounted for the Congolese when they visited Benin City on 19th March.
Bankole has included all his regulars in the list of 25, who have been instructed to report at the Serob Legacy Hotel, Abuja on Sunday, 3rd April for resumption of camping programme.
Goalkeepers Faith Omilana and Linda Jiwuaka, defenders Blessing Sunday, Comfort Folorunsho, Tumininu Adeshina and Miracle Usani, midfielders Blessing Emmanuel, Taiwo Afolabi and Aminat Bello, and forwards Alvine Dah-Zossu, Anastasia Atume and Opeyemi Ajakaiye are among those invited.
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The Flamingos will host the Egyptians at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja on Sunday, 17th April, with the return leg in Cairo on Saturday, 30th April.
FLAMINGOS INVITED TO CAMP FOR EGYPT:
Goalkeepers: Faith Omilana (Honey Badgers); Linda Jiwuaku (Confluence Queens); Jessica Chikamso (Rivers Angels); Doris Ohia (Naija Ratels)
Defenders: Blessing Sunday (Edo Queens); Comfort Folorunsho (Delta Queens); Tumininu Adeshina (Naija Ratels); Mamusoz Edafe (Rivers Angels); Olamide Oyinlola (Naija Ratels); Miracle Usani (Abia Angels); Confidence Nwoha (Nasarawa Amazons); Kemi Soremekun (Confluence Queens)
Midfielders: Blessing Emmanuel (Naija Ratels); Taiwo Afolabi (Delta Queens); Chidera Okenwa (Abia Angels); Aminat Bello (SGH Queens); Joy Igbokwe (Mees Palace)
Forwards: Mercy Itimi (Bayelsa Queens); Alvine Da-Zossu (Osun Babes); Anastasia Atume (Honey Badgers); Raheemot Adebayo (FC Robo Queens); Olaide Mosaku (Prince Kazeem Eletu Queens); Opeyemi Ajakaiye (FC Robo Queens); Yetunde Ayantosho (Osun Babes); Adaobi Okah (Edo Queens)
5 Comments
Nobody from secondary school except maybe the girl from MEE’s palace who combines school with Academics. When will these cheating stop?
Which cheating??
I am rooting for Bankole’s damsels to down Egypt in April’s Under-17 women’s world cup semi final qualifiers.
All of the teenagers have done well thus far and should successfully navigate the Egyptian Nile to the next round where either South Africa or Ethiopia lie in wait.
My money is on South Africa to edge that tie which will make a Nigeria vs South Africa finale a mouth watering prospect. South Africa have inadvertently become one of Nigeria’s bitter rivals in Africa across the men and women’s games. Only just last year the Bayana Bayanas took the Super Falcons to the cleaners in the Aisha Buhari Cup with a 4:2 drubbing in front of stunned home Nigeria fans.
It will be up to the Flamingos to exert revenge on behalf of thier elder sisters if indeed they meet South Africa in the next round (after hopefully defeating Egypt).
Bankole’s girls are not new to planning ahead, though. When preparing for the second leg encounter against Congo, the Yoruba gaffer said he and he girls already had one eye on the next round. I actually frowned at that statement.
I think the coach and his girls should always be fully focused on the task at hand rather than thinking of a next round that they conceivable might not even qualify for.
Strangest things have happened in football and this sort mentality is arrogant and somewhat disrespectful to the immediate opponents.
In this semi-final stage, Egypt should offer minimal resistance as their women’s football is still evolving and also reeling from recent misogynistic scandals.
Sadly Egypt is a relatively conservative society where a section of the populace is opposed to women participating in sports that tend to be associated with men.
Last year, their under-20 women’s team was mocked on social media in a game against Lebanon by Egyptians themselves who poked fun on the fact that “girls were playing boys’ game”.
In a country that produced the legendary Mohammed Salah, women’s football in Egypt across age range is said to be hanging by a thread. Some observers said there is inadequate support from the Egyptian Football Association for women’s football.
Without being horrible, I don’t expect such an underdeveloped Egyptian side (that is still struggling to gain universal acceptance from its own fan base) to pose much problem to Bankole and his fabulous Flamingos.
However, with something to prove to some misguided male Egyptians, it might even spur the Egyptian Under-17 ladies on to be more determined to defeat the more illustrious Nigeria. This might then make the encounter across two legs more competitive than expected.
So, contrary to speculation, it might end up being an open encounter that could swing either way.
If that will be the case, then I can’t wait!
The world knows Africans cheat at the junior tournaments, just that they don’t care. Whereas Europe regard these tournaments as nurturing young talents, Africans see this as avenue to prove to the world that we can compete and win. Sometimes it is very embarrassing.
From the way he talks you will know that the love for NIGERIA is still there…