Tokyo 2020: Super Falcons Plot Algeria Fall In Bilda

 
 Tokyo 2020: Super Falcons Plot Algeria Fall In Bilda

By Admin

Nine-time African champions Nigeria begin their race to the Women’s Football Tournament of next year’s Olympics in Tokyo with a determination to earn an away win over Algeria on Wednesday in order to make the second leg in Lagos next week an easier session.
 
Coach Thomas Dennerby and squad arrived in Algiers on Monday after travelling through Turkey, and had training sessions on Sunday evening and on Monday. Their final training session was scheduled for 6pm Algeria time on Tuesday.
 
Dennerby is in the North African country without a number of his key actors, principally the Europe –based legion who are involved in club duties. First choice goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie is also with the U20 squad at the 12th African Games in Morocco.
 
Yet, there is quiet confidence in the squad that victory is the target and the Super Falcons will borrow a leaf from the Falconets, who hammered their Algerian counterparts 3-0 in Algeria on Monday to qualify for the gold medal match of the ongoing African Games.
 
Veteran midfielder Osarenoma Igbonivia said on Tuesday: “We have not been to the Olympics for several years now, and we are not happy about that. We will put up our best effort on Wednesday in order to make the second leg a formality.”
 
The Super Falcons last played at the women’s football tournament of the Olympics in China 11 years ago. They were bumped by Cameroon in the African qualifying series for the London 2012 games and then lost to Equatorial Guinea in the race to Rio 2016 Olympics.
 
The Algeria Football Federation has scheduled the match for the Stade Mustapha Tchaker in Blida (outside Algiers), to kick off at 7pm Algeria time (same time as in Nigeria).
 
Malian Teneba Bagayoko will be the referee, with her compatriots Mariam Coulibaly (assistant referee 1) and Djeneba Dembélé (assistant referee 2) also on duty. The fourth official will be Dorsaf Ganouati from Tunisia while Mana Dzodope from Togo will serve as referee assessor and Oumou Kane from Mauritania will be the match commissioner.
 
18 FALCONS IN ALGERIA FOR OLYMPICS QUALIFIER
 
Goalkeepers: Christy Ohiaeriaku; Tochukwu Oluehi
 
Defenders:

Ugochi Emenayo; Glory Ogbonna; Margaret Etim; Maryam Ibrahim; Abidemi Ibe; Blessing Edoho; Ihuoma Onyebuchi
 
Midfielders:

Osarenoma Igbinovia; Amarachi Okoronkwo; Regina Otu; Cecilia Nku
 
Forwards:

Alice Ogebe; Lola Philips; Adejoke Ejalonibu; Joy Eke; Rafiat Sule
 
PHOTO: The Super Falcons on their way to Algeria on Saturday
 
12th African Games: Flying Eagles to battle for gold
 
Nigeria’s U20 boys, Flying Eagles, will be battling for the gold medal of the 12th African Games in Rabat, Morocco after penalty shoot-out defeat of Mali in the semi finals on Tuesday.
 
Both teams failed to find target in regulation and extra time, with Nigeria captain Abubakar Ibrahim inexplicably failing to convert a penalty kick in the 23rd minute. Penalty shoot-out again came to the rescue as happened when both battled to a 1-1 draw in the semi finals of the Africa U20 Cup of Nations in Niger Republic in February.
 
In Niamey, Mali triumphed 4-3 after the shoot-out. But the session in Rabat on Tuesday proved comical, with the Flying Eagles showing inefficiency from the spot by throwing away their first three kicks even as goalkeeper Detan Ogundare kept saving the Malian kicks. Mike Zaruma, Rabiu Mohammed and Emeka Chinonso wasted their kicks.
 
Skipper Abubakar Ibrahim and Success Makanjuola scored the fourth and fifth kicks, just as the Malians did, to take the shoot-out into sudden death.
 
In sudden death, Samuel Nnochiri and Adesina Gata scored just as their Malian opposite numbers. But after Adewale Oladoye scored, Mali’s next kick was saved by the inspired Ogundare to take Nigeria to Friday’s final.
 
The Flying Eagles will be up against the winner of the second semi final between Senegal and Burkina Faso.
 
It is the first time that Nigeria will reach the final of the men’s football tournament of the African Games since losing the gold medal match to Cameroon inside the National Stadium Complex, Abuja in 2003.
 
Nigeria won the gold medal of the football event (no women edition then) of the 2nd African Games she hosted in Lagos in 1973 and then lost in the final to host nation Algeria in 1978.