Leadership (Abuja)
16 November 2008
Nigeria's represen-tatives in the 2008 edition of the African Women Football Championship, the Super Falcons, will today square up against arch-rival, the Black Queens of Ghana as they countenance their 6th African Women championship opening match in the city of Bata, Equatorial Guinea.
The championship opened in Malabo yesterday and the Super Falcons are pitched in group B along side South Africa, Tunisia and Ghana.
Super Falcons and the technical crew arrived Equatorial Guinea last Tuesday and have since embarked on intense training ahead of today match which soccer analysts, believe that the Nigerian side must win to remain focused for their 6th title chase.
Nigeria's Super Falcons have won all previous editions, since inception and are favourites to lift the trophy.
Hosts, Equatorial Guinea, Mali, and Congo play in group A in Malabo.
The Nigerian women have dominated female football for quite a long time and their participation in the recently concluded Beijing Olympic games where they were eliminated in the group stage will give them edge, as they campaign for their sixth title.
The Super Falcons will play Tunisia on November 19, the same day the Super Eagles take on Colombia in an international friendly match in Bogota, capital of the South American country. The team is expected to play Bayana Bayana of South Africa on November 22 and should they top the group B, they will stay in Bata, the home town of the Equatorial Guinean President for the quarter final match.
President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Alhaji Sani Lulu Abdullahi said everything needed by coach Joseph Ladipo's team to excel at the championship have been provided, noting that nothing short of the trophy will satisfy Nigerians against the backdrop of their poor performance at the Beijing Olympic games.
Tunde Aderibigbe, special assistant to the NFF president, who has been on ground in Equatorial Guinea said the girls are in high spirits and have promised to capture the trophy for the sixth time, as a Christmas gift to Nigerians.
The Super Falcons is captained by experienced defender, Christie George, while Precious Dede will man the goal.
Included in the squad are, Tochukwu Oluchi, Efionwan Ekpo, Chima Nwosu, Perpetua Nkwocha, Onome Ebi, Kikelomo Ajayi and Chichi Igbo.
Others are Ifeanyi, Chiejine, Gift Otuwe, Loreta Sadoh, Maureen Eke, Cynthia Uwak, Faith Ikidi, Lilian Cole, Evelyn Nwabuoku and Edith Eduviere.
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