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WE WILL PREPARE HARD AND TAKE OUR CHANCES, SAYS SUPER FALCONS’ COACH, DENNERBY

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Following what football afficionados the world oversaw as a tough draw for the Super Falcons ahead of the 2019 FIFA Women’s WorldCup finals, Head Coach Thomas Dennerby has declared that Nigeria will work to prepare hard and take it one match at a time in the finals next year summer.

The African champions were on Saturday evening drawn with hosts France, Norway and Korea Republic in Group A of the 24 –team championship, at a colourful ceremony inside the La Seine Musicale on the RiverSeine in Paris.

“There is no easy group here. I am okay with the draw because I always knew that we would have to play the best teams. That is what you do at the World Cup. The French team is, of course, world class, and I know we would have to fight very hard against them.

“The Koreans are very technical and have pace but we will confront them with our physical strength, ability and pace of our own and we have a great chance in there. I know the Norway team, more than they know us or can hope to know us. At the end of the day, it would come down to preparations. We must prepare very hard and then take it one match at a time during the finals,” the Swedish tactician said at the mixed zone following the ceremony.

President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Amaju Melvin Pinnick, who attended the event as the 1stVice President ofCAF and Member of the Organizing Committee for FIFA Competitions, told thenff.com:“It is a draw that tells us that we have to do everything we can to prepare the team well for the competition.

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“Presently, we have firmed up two tournaments in China and Cyprus for the team, and we are talking with a few countries and organizers for matches and tournaments. We will give the Head Coach and his team the necessary support to prepare the team adequately for the competition.”

Former Super Falcons’ star Mercy Akide-Udoh, who flew into France from the United States of America and attended the ceremony as aFIFA Ambassador for Women’s Football, opined: “This is a tough one for us. ButI think the Federation should do everything to ensure adequate preparation of the team.”

The 8th FIFA Women’s World Cup finals will take place in nine French cities between 7th June and 7th July2019.

Nigeria’s first match of the finals will be againstNorway in Reims on 8th June, before they play Korea Republic inGrenoble on 12th June. Their last match of the group phase is against hosts France in Rennes on 17th June.

“If you have to make real impact at the FIFA WorldCup, you have to beat the strong teams. That is what we have to prepare for. I am looking ahead to an interesting tournament in France in the summer of next year,” Dennerby added.

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The opening match of the tournament is between France and Korea Republic, and will hold at the Parc des Princes in Paris on 7th June2019.

Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

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International Football

Portugal call up same player named in England Under-18 squad

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Mateus Mane in England's colour

Wolverhampton Wanderers forward Mateus Mane has become hot property after Portugal named the 17-year-old in their Under-18 squad on Friday, one day after England included him in their squad.

Mane was called up for a second successive England youth camp by coach Liam Bramley before the team travel to Marbella for a four-team tournament this month.

Mane is eligible for both teams having played for the Portugal Under-17 side last season. As the Under-18 team is a non-UEFA age group, both nations are entitled to call the player up.

He made his England international debut last month against the Portugal Under-18 side who have named Mane in their squad for a four-nation tournament this month.

With both tournaments running concurrently, Mane can only play for one team and Wolves and England confirmed he would feature in Bramley’s side.

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Reuters has contacted Portugal’s football association for clarification.

While players with multiple nationalities have played for more than one country if they are eligible, they are not allowed to switch allegiances at senior level – unless they have played only in friendly matches for the first country.

-Reuters

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International Football

Soon Cisse ceases to be Senegal’s Coach

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After 107 matches spanning nine years, Aliou Cisse will not have his contract renewed as Senegal coach, officials confirmed on Wednesday. Of the 107 matches, Cisse’s team won 70, drew 24 and lost 13.

But the impressive scorecard is not enough to impress his employers.

Thus, the end beckons for Cisse’s successful nine-year spell in charge of the side that included a first Africa Cup of Nations title and two World Cup qualifications.

He had been under increasing pressure after Senegal’s surprise last 16 exit at the 2023 Cup of Nations when they lost on penalties to hosts Cote d’Ivoire.

Senegal are unbeaten in six matches since then, but home draws with the Democratic Republic of Congo and Burkina Faso, and criticism from certain quarters over their style of play, made up the mind of the country’s sports ministry, who fund the salary of the national team coach, that a change was needed.

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“The FSF would like to thank Aliou Cisse for his good collaboration and his brilliant results at the head of the various national selections that he has managed since his arrival in 2011 and wish him every success for the future,” the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) said in a statement.

FSF added Cisse’s exit stemmed from a failure to fulfil the targets in his last contract, which expired at the end of August, which included victory at the 2023 Cup of Nations and reaching the quarter-finals of the 2022 World Cup.

They also said the “regression of our national team in the FIFA rankings and the risk of disaffection between our national team and the Senegalese (public)” had played a role.

The FSF will appoint an interim technical team to lead the side in Cup of Nations qualifiers against Malawi at home on Oct. 11 and away four days later.

Cisse, 48, was captain of Senegal when they reached the quarter-finals of the 2002 World Cup with what is heralded as a golden generation of players.

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He briefly had a spell as caretaker coach of the national team in 2012, but took over full time three years later.

He led Senegal to 2018 and 2022 World Cup qualification, making the last 16 in the latter before losing to England. They were beaten in the final of the 2019 Cup of Nations by Algeria.

The side made up for that disappointment when they beat Egypt in the final two years later to be crowned African champions for the first time.

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International Football

Why  FIFA banned Samuel Eto’o

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Always in the news for bad reasons, Samuel Eto’o has again made global headlines. The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has banned the former striker and the current president of the Cameroon Football Federation.

He is banned from attending Cameroon’s matches for the next six months for violating conduct rules during the recent U-20 Women’s World Cup, where his national team faced Brazil in the round of 16.

According to FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee, Eto’o was found to have breached articles 13 (“Offensive behaviour and violations of fair play principles”) and 14 (“Misconduct of players and officials”) of FIFA’s Disciplinary Code.

The sanction stems specifically from the match between Brazil and Cameroon, held on September 11 in Bogotá, Colombia. As a result, Eto’o will be prohibited from attending any matches involving Cameroon’s national teams, both male and femaleacross all age groups.

“Mr Eto’o has been notified today, the date on which the sanction comes into force,” stated the FIFA press release.

This is not the first time Eto’o has faced controversy. He previously drew attention for his behavior towards players and national team coach Marc Brys, whom he allegedly threatened in front of cameras if his directives were not followed.

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During the Qatar World Cup, the former Real Madrid, Mallorca, and Barcelona player made headlines again after assaulting a fan who filmed him outside a stadium after a match.

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