Governing Bodies
From no-spot to third-spot: Nigeria’s Flamingos delight in historic World Cup bronze
Beaten on the away goal-rule by Cameroon (3-3 aggregate after 2-2 in Benin City and 1-1 in Yaounde), Nigeria’s U17 girls, Flamingos missed participating in the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup finals for the first time in year 2018.
The girls had featured at the inaugural edition of the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup in New Zealand, and after a win (over South Korea), loss (to England) and draw (with Brazil) in Wellington and Christchurch, they flew back after the group phase. Two years later, the Flamingos reached the quarter finals at the second edition in Trinidad and Tobago after beating North Korea, hosts Trinidad and Tobago and Chile for maximum points in the group. But they lost to eventual winners South Korea in a quarter-final match in Marabella.
Two years later, in Azerbaijan, the Flamingos drew 1-1 with Canada, thumped hosts Azerbaijan 11-0 and hit Colombia 3-0 to reach the quarter-finals. However, France won a penalty shootout 5-3 in Baku after both teams had failed to find target in regulation time.
In 2014, another impressive group stage campaign (2-1 defeat of China, 2-1 defeat of Colombia and 3-0 defeat of Mexico) ended with a 3-0 defeat by Spain in the quarter-finals.
In 2016, Jordan were the hosts. The Flamingos were back home after losing to Brazil and North Korea and drawing with England.
There was no competition in 2020 because of the global coronavirus pandemic.
Before arriving in India, Coach Bankole Olowookere’s girls had pounded Democratic Republic of Congo 3-0 in Kinshasa and 5-0 in Benin City, and prevailed over Egypt 4-0 in Abuja and 2-0 in Cairo. In their final qualification fixture, they pipped Ethiopia 1-0 in Addis Ababa and the second leg in Abuja ended scoreless.
After a 10-day final camping programme in the Turkish city of Kocaeli, Olowookere said: “We will be facing a tough task out there in India but I believe that if we play as a team, we can get something out of the World Cup. I have a group of girls who are ambitious and they fear no team. This could stand us in good stead in India.”
After going one goal up against Germany in Goa on the first day of the tournament, the Flamingos capitulated 2-1, but refused to bow their heads. They spanked New Zealand 4-0 with some scintillating displays also in Goa and edged Chile 2-1 in Bhubaneswar to reach the knockout stage.
Against the USA in the quarter-finals in Navi Mumbai, team spirit and team work were important to keep the scoreline 1-1 and take the session to penalties. Substitute goalkeeper Linda Jiwuaku, brought in for the shootout, saved one of the kicks and an American player fluffed her kick to give Nigeria victory.
Back in Goa, another penalty shootout was needed against Colombia in the semi-finals. With the Flamingos ahead and a kick from glory, defender Omamuzo Edafe, who scored the penalty kick during play and the winner in the shootout against USA, saw her kick crash against the upright. Nigeria lost in sudden death when defender Comfort Folorunsho lost her kick.
The third-place match also had to be settled via penalty shootout, after the Flamingos conceded three goals in the last 18 minutes to tie the game 3-3. Victory in the shootout, despite defender Tumininu Adeshina’s miss, earned Nigeria a historic third-place at the finals after being nowhere near the last tournament in Uruguay.
“We give God the glory. It was a roller-coaster but we learnt a lot of lessons and it will help the players as they graduate to other levels of the National Team. We strove hard to get our hands on the trophy but we will take the bronze medals for now and return home to go and prepare hard for the next edition,” Coach Olowookere said.
The president of the Confédération of African Football, Dr. Patrice Motsepe, has announced five new CAF Vice Presidents. They are:
- CAF First Vice President: Mr Fouzi Lekjaa (Morocco)
- CAF Second Vice President: Mr Kurt Okraku (Ghana)
- CAF Third Vice President: Mr Pierre-Alain Mounguengui (Gabon)
- CAF Fourth Vice President: Ms Bestine Kazadi Ditabala (Democratic Republic of Congo)
- CAF Fifth Vice President: Mr Feizal Sidat (Mozambique)
In addition, the CAF President has co-opted Yacine Idriss Diallo, President of Fédération Ivoirienne de football, into the CAF Executive Committee.
The CAF Executive Committee also approved the names to fill vacant positions on several CAF Committees.
Organising Committee for the African Nations Championship (CHAN)
- President: Pierre-Alain Mounguengui (Gabon)
CAF Technical and Development Committee
- President: Samuel Eto’o (Cameroon)
- Vice President: Malouche Belhassen (Tunisia)
CAF Medical Committee:
- President: Dr. Mohammed Bouya (Mauritania)
- Vice President: Dr. Thulani Ngwenya (South Africa)
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Governing Bodies
Nigeria becoming an epicentre of global badminton as Francis Orbih enters the Badminton World Federation Council
Laurels on the courts and now glory in the boardroom sums up the mark that badminton is making in Nigeria.
The President, Badminton Federation of Nigeria (BFN), Francis Orbih, has been elected as a council member of the Badminton World Federation (BWF).
The election took place during the BWF Annual General Meeting on Saturday in Xiamen, China.
Orbih emerged victorious over top contenders from other African countries.
He will join Cameroon’s Odette Assembe Engoulou on the council, while Chipo Zumburani (Zimbabwe) and Hadia ElSaid (Egypt) missed out.
An elated Orbih expressed his gratitude to fellow badminton presidents across the globe for their trust and support.
He said, “I am deeply honoured by the trust placed in me by my peers across the badminton world.
“I look forward to quality representation, driving development initiatives, and strengthening badminton’s global reach over the next four years.”
Orbih also acknowledged the support of the Federal Government of Nigeria, particularly the National Sports Commission (NSC), which he said played a significant role in his successful bid.
“The Chairman and the Director General of the NSC monitored the entire process. I’m grateful for their involvement and confident Nigeria will benefit from this,” he stated.
He further appreciated the BFN board members and the Nigerian badminton community for their prayers and continued belief in his leadership.
“From the day I declared my intentions, the board members of BFN have been supportive, and I promise not to disappoint them,” Orbih concluded.
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A former member of the FIFA Council, Mamoutou Toure, has been released from jail in Mali after almost two years in detention for alleged corruption, Malian media reports said on Wednesday.
Toure, president of the Malian Football Federation since 2019, was released after 622 days in prison on Tuesday.
He served on the FIFA Council, world football’s all-powerful decision-making body, for four years until last month when he lost his seat after failing to contest new elections.
The 67-year-old was arrested in August 2023 on allegations of embezzling $28 million of public funds but was granted a provisional release order by the Malian courts, reports said.
He was accused of misconduct during his time as the National Assembly’s financial and administrative director from 2013-2019.
Toure denied all charges and, during his time in jail, was last August re-elected as Malian Football Federation president for a second consecutive term, with his supporters claiming he was a victim of a conspiracy fuelled by detractors.
While in jail, he received a letter of support from FIFA president Gianni Infantino. However, as of last month, Toure is no longer a member of the FIFA Council or the Confederation of African Football’s executive committee.
-Reuters
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