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| Rasheedat Ajibade |
After a slight shift in date, Nigeria’s Falconets have now arrived in Benin for the weekend’s World Cup Qualifier against Tanzania.
In spite of the shift in arrival by the Nigeria Football Federation (they were supposed to arrive on Monday), the chairman of the Edo State Football Association, Frank Ilaboya says they are ready to host.
Ilaboya insists all necessary logistics have been put in place to not only play good hosts to the team but ensure that they win and win handsomely as Nigeria remains the standard bearer in African Women’s football.
“Everything needed to keep the team in good stead ahead of Saturday’s World Cup Qualifier has been put in place as the governor and his deputy are directly in charge because we are talking of a national team.
“On our part as the FA, we will do our best to assist our parent body the NFF,” Ilaboya declared.
Chairperson of the Nigeria Professional Women’s League, Aisha Falode also assured that she will be on ground on time to ensure the U20 national team get all required support to do well.
“As a daughter of the soil, I know what it takes to help the girls navigate their way through these qualifiers because as we have come to realize there are no longer small teams in football globally and I’m ready to do my best,” Falode said.
Chris Danjuma led the players and other officials from Abuja on Tuesday morning, as the two –time World Cup silver medalists stormed the ancient city to perfect preparations for Saturday’s encounter against the East Africans at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium.
Danjuma has been working with the ladies for the past three weeks in Abuja, and on Tuesday told thenff.com that he expects his girls to go all out for a handsome win.
Rasheedat Ajibade, Cynthia Aku, Kemi Famuditi, Joy Duru and Gloria Ogbonna are among the players Danjuma has been working with in camp.
Nigeria finished as runners –up at the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup in 2010 and 2014, and also reached the quarter finals in 2004, 2006 and 2008, and the semi finals in 2012.
The 9th FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup will be staged in four cities in France, 7th – 26th August 2018.
The Tanzanian U20 Women delegation is expected to fly into Abuja on Thursday and proceed to Benin City the same day. The second leg will take place in Dar es Salaam on 30th September, with the winner on aggregate to tackle the winner of the Morocco/Senegal in the second round coming up in November.
The Confederation of African Football has appointed Vincentia Enyonam Amedome from Togo as referee for Saturday’s match. She will be assisted by compatriots Kossiwa Kpadenou (Assistant 1), Abra Sitsope Agbedanou (Assistant 2) and Aissata Ameyo Amegee (Fourth Official). The match commissioner is Rochell Woodson from Liberia.