AWCON
NFF assures of even greater investment in women’s football
The Nigeria Football Federation says it will consciously invest even more in the women’s game as the three women National Teams continue to churn out impressive results internationally.
General Secretary, Dr Mohammed Sanusi on Tuesday applauded the efforts of the Super Falcons in the second of their two-match tour of Canada, in which they were held to a 2-2 draw by Olympic champions Canada at the Starlight Stadium in Langford, Victoria City. The match fell in the early hours of Tuesday in Nigeria.
“The NFF is very much impressed by the performance of the Super Falcons against Canada, not only in the second match, but also in the first match despite that they lost 0-2. That first match in Vancouver was played only a day after most of the players arrived in Canada due to delays in issuance of visa, and after long-haul flights. To battle the Olympic champions the way they did in their second game means we now have a team that can challenge the best teams in the world competitively on a good day.
“This is a very encouraging result and the NFF will not rest on its oars but will continue to invest even more in women’s football. The U20 girls, Falconets have recently qualified for the FIFA U20 World Cup after four rounds of qualifying matches, and the Flamingos are also in hot chase for a ticket to the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup in India.”
The Super Falcons battled the Canadians with zest and confidence in the early hours of Tuesday, with US –based Ifeoma Onumonu, who scored both goals when the Falcons defeated their Ivorian counterparts in the first leg of their Women AFCON final qualifying round in Abuja two months ago, getting on the secoresheet as early as the 5th minute. The first half ended 1-0 in favour of the African champions.
Veteran Christie Sinclair pulled Canada level four minutes after the restart, but Spain –based playmaker Rasheedat Ajibade, who was remarkable in the first game, shot Nigeria in front once more in the 53rd minute. Shelina Zardosky pulled Canada level with two minutes left on the clock.
The NFF has revealed plans to have the Super Falcons camp in Morocco ahead of their participation in the 12th Women Africa Cup of Nations, taking place 2nd – 23rd July. The championship also serves as Africa’s qualifying tournament for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, with all four semi finalists earning tickets to the event in Australia/New Zealand, which will be the first 32-team FIFA Women’s World Cup finals in history.
Democratic Republic of Congo side, TP Mazembe are officially the champions of the CAF Women’s Champions League Morocco 2024.
A highly tactical and hard fought 1-0 victory in the final played in El Jadida’s Stade Ben Ahmed El Abdi against former champions and hosts, AS FAR saw the DR Congo side crowned the new champions of Africa for the first time – wiping away tears of their 2022 group stage exit.
With the crowd backing the hosts, Mazembe showed great resilience and courage in taking the match to the former champions who remain in search for what has been an elusive second title for them.
The deciding goal of the fourth edition of the tournament came courtesy of a converted spot kick by Marlene Kasaj in the opening 10 minutes, which Mazembe protected throughout the match to seal the historic victory.
Despite the early concession, AS FAR kept believing and surged forward in search of the leveller, but a resolute Mazembe defense kept the clean sheet throughout the opening half.
Coming back from the break, it was surprisingly Mazembe who looked more dangerous as they came out strong in an attempt to kill off the game.
The hosts eventually found their rhythm but again were met by a disciplined Mazembe defense, who kept the former champions at bay to secure Africa’s most sought-after women’s club football crown.
In addition to the coveted CAF Women’s Champions League trophy, TP Mazembe also take home $600 000 in prize money, while runners-up AS FAR take home $400 000.
-CAF
BY JOSEPH ODOEKWU
The National Chairman of the Nigeria Football Supporters Club (NFSC) Samuel Ikpea has tipped the Super Falcons of Nigeria to claim their 10th African Women’s Cup of Nations title in Morocco when they begin their campaign next year.
Ikpea’ remarks came after the Friday night draw that put Algeria, Tunisia and Botswana in the same group with the Super Falcons.
“Our girls are going to play in a group with two North African countries (Tunisia and Algeria). “It is going to be interesting, and I am optimistic that our girls will scale from our group”.
Nigeria will tackle two North African teams – Tunisia and Algeria – as well as Botswana, in Group B of the 13th Women Africa Cup of Nations finals taking place in Morocco next summer.
The Falcons will surely relish another meeting with Algeria’s Green Ladies, whom they defeated 2-0 and 4-1 respectively in two friendly matches in Nigeria last month.
Botswana eliminated Gabon in the qualifying series and Tunisia were the quarter-finalists at the last edition also hosted by Morocco.
At the draw conducted on Friday evening at the Technical Centre of the Mohamed VI Football Complex in Sale, outside Rabat, host nation Morocco, earlier slotted into Group A, learnt they will have to cope with Zambia, Senegal and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Cup holders South Africa are in Group C and will square up to Ghana, Mali and Tanzania in the three-week, 12-nation final tournament taking place 5th – 26th July 2025.
Hosts Morocco finished as runners-up in the last edition in July 2022, with Zambia taking the bronze after a 1-0 defeat of Nigeria in the third-place match.
GROUP A: Morocco, Zambia, Senegal, DR Congo
GROUP B: Nigeria, Tunisia, Algeria, Botswana
GROUP C: South Africa, Ghana, Mali, Tanzania
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