Despite being the second youngest squad to the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup after Ghana, the Falconets have been described by a member of the FIFA Technical Study Group (TSG) as the most physically superior team to the championships in Germany.
Now after making the finals, the odds are definitely more than they were against the USA, as some analysts believe that this 2010 German side is the best ever and with the scoring prowess of Alexandra Popp, the team is virtually unbeatable.
The Falconets will beg to disagree and no one can write off this Nigerian team as they are set to create history today.
One thing they will have to rely on today against noticeably bigger opponents will be their physical strength. April Heinrichs, the TSG member said on fifa.com: “They are physically superior to any team in the tournament and they are really sold on their roles and their commitment to that role.”
The Falconets have also shown that they will possess the ball but the only drawback to their excellent play in Germany has been the number of chances that have been frittered away.
In all their five matches, they have scored just six goals and conceded four but the margin should have been higher and that is something Coach Adat Egan must have worked on in training ahead of today’s final.
Against a ruthless German team that has amassed an amazing 18 goals in their five matches; they have to be more decisive in front of goal with Desire Oparanozie told to be composed when she is in scoring positions.
The Falconets have had the tendency to concede goals in this competition but the good part is that they have not conceded more than one in any match so far and stopped (with the help of the cross bar) Colombia scoring in the semi final match on Thursday.
Long road to glory
Henrietta Ukaigwe, journalist and founder of Female football Interest Group (FFIG), a non-governmental organisation dedicated to the development of the women’s game in Nigeria, believes the Falconets can triumph over Germany.
“They have come this far and are not likely to falter at this stage. They just need to stay calm and not be fazed by the pedigree of the Germans. Granted that the Europeans have been impressive in this tournament, our girls too have not been conceding too many goals,” Ukaigwe said.
John Zaki, a former member of the Female Football Development Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) is doubly sure that the Falconets will beat the German side if they can only be prepared well physically.
“Once the girls are properly fit, there won’t be any problem against Germany. They may have scored more goals but the game against Nigeria will be very different. I know this is our chance and by God’s grace, we will bring that Cup to Nigeria.”
Heinrichs is also impressed at the transition of the team from being weak technically to being more adept. “We have been extremely impressed with the speed, agility and quickness of the players in this tournament.
Overall the physical qualities and psychological maturation is higher here than we have seen at previous youth World Cups. So the players are making that transition from girlhood to woman-hood much quicker and we are seeing players here who will soon step up to the senior level.
A long time supporter of women’s football in Nigeria and also a female club proprietor called Jegede Babes, the bulky administrator did not quite believe that the Falconets will stay a long time in Germany.
This is reflected in the fact that she missed the first two group matches of the team and perhaps not believing the Falconets will stay long in the tournament, returned home on Monday after Nigeria’s elimination of defending champions, United States in the quarter-final to woo female football club owners to give her the group’s sole ticket on the NFF board when elections take place later this month.
After Nigeria edged out Colombia in the semi-final on Thursday to book a final ticket, Jegede scrambled to return to Germany on Friday night. Her action has rankled football faithfuls back home.
Macbeth Esesobor, proprietor of Macbeth Queens, Lagos believes it was the wrong step to take.
“Though I did not see her, it was confirmed that she came back to solidify her electoral position into the new board of the NFF. It was wrong for her to have done that as she is looked upon as the mother of the team. Her presence though will not have been sorely missed as the First Lady, Patience Jonathan, is with the team in Germany.”
The Falconets can step up
She believes that most of the players in the Nigerian set-up can become players for the senior national team, the Falcons.
“Nigeria has three to five players, if not more, who are as good as their full national team players. As the game develops the players are older and older at this level and more mature at this level.
Teams are not picking a 16 or 17-year-old because they don’t have any 20-year-olds but because the 16 or 17-year-olds are good enough.”
The TSG also noted that the Nigerian team play a passing game that can be used to frustrate the Germans, if they are denied the ball over long periods and they will also not be able to hurt the Falconets.
“Nigeria can also be direct but with dynamism. The reliance on possession reflects the psychological maturity and also indicates the preparation the teams have gone through before they arrive at the tournament and in that regard we are pleased because we are seeing some pretty fine football here. And the players have been rewarded for their excellent football.”
The question will be whether the team’s pretty approach to playing can hurt the host, Germany today in Bielefeld.
What can be surmised from the tournament so far is that this Nigerian team is better than the previous ones because they are more technically aware than their predecessors.
The TSG agrees, “Nigeria is the best team I have seen from that country in ten years of watching them at world events. They have all the classic qualities of Nigerian teams: great tackling and physical presence and unbelievable speed but they are more disciplined as well.”
Now after making the finals, the odds are definitely more than they were against the USA, as some analysts believe that this 2010 German side is the best ever and with the scoring prowess of Alexandra Popp, the team is virtually unbeatable.
The Falconets will beg to disagree and no one can write off this Nigerian team as they are set to create history today.
One thing they will have to rely on today against noticeably bigger opponents will be their physical strength. April Heinrichs, the TSG member said on fifa.com: “They are physically superior to any team in the tournament and they are really sold on their roles and their commitment to that role.”
The Falconets have also shown that they will possess the ball but the only drawback to their excellent play in Germany has been the number of chances that have been frittered away.
In all their five matches, they have scored just six goals and conceded four but the margin should have been higher and that is something Coach Adat Egan must have worked on in training ahead of today’s final.
The Falconets have had the tendency to concede goals in this competition but the good part is that they have not conceded more than one in any match so far and stopped (with the help of the cross bar) Colombia scoring in the semi final match on Thursday.
Long road to glory
Henrietta Ukaigwe, journalist and founder of Female football Interest Group (FFIG), a non-governmental organisation dedicated to the development of the women’s game in Nigeria, believes the Falconets can triumph over Germany.
“They have come this far and are not likely to falter at this stage. They just need to stay calm and not be fazed by the pedigree of the Germans. Granted that the Europeans have been impressive in this tournament, our girls too have not been conceding too many goals,” Ukaigwe said.
John Zaki, a former member of the Female Football Development Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) is doubly sure that the Falconets will beat the German side if they can only be prepared well physically.
“Once the girls are properly fit, there won’t be any problem against Germany. They may have scored more goals but the game against Nigeria will be very different. I know this is our chance and by God’s grace, we will bring that Cup to Nigeria.”
Heinrichs is also impressed at the transition of the team from being weak technically to being more adept. “We have been extremely impressed with the speed, agility and quickness of the players in this tournament.
Overall the physical qualities and psychological maturation is higher here than we have seen at previous youth World Cups. So the players are making that transition from girlhood to woman-hood much quicker and we are seeing players here who will soon step up to the senior level.
Bola Jegede abandons team in Germany
The leader of the Nigerian delegation to the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, Bola Jegede, it has been revealed may have abandoned the team in Germany to take care of matters that are closer to her heart - remaining in the new board of the Nigeria Football Federation.A long time supporter of women’s football in Nigeria and also a female club proprietor called Jegede Babes, the bulky administrator did not quite believe that the Falconets will stay a long time in Germany.
This is reflected in the fact that she missed the first two group matches of the team and perhaps not believing the Falconets will stay long in the tournament, returned home on Monday after Nigeria’s elimination of defending champions, United States in the quarter-final to woo female football club owners to give her the group’s sole ticket on the NFF board when elections take place later this month.
After Nigeria edged out Colombia in the semi-final on Thursday to book a final ticket, Jegede scrambled to return to Germany on Friday night. Her action has rankled football faithfuls back home.
Macbeth Esesobor, proprietor of Macbeth Queens, Lagos believes it was the wrong step to take.
“Though I did not see her, it was confirmed that she came back to solidify her electoral position into the new board of the NFF. It was wrong for her to have done that as she is looked upon as the mother of the team. Her presence though will not have been sorely missed as the First Lady, Patience Jonathan, is with the team in Germany.”
The Falconets can step up
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| Ingrid Vidal of Columbia and Desire Oparanozie (R) of Nigeria compete for the ball during the 2010 FIFA Women’s Semi-finals |
“Nigeria has three to five players, if not more, who are as good as their full national team players. As the game develops the players are older and older at this level and more mature at this level.
Teams are not picking a 16 or 17-year-old because they don’t have any 20-year-olds but because the 16 or 17-year-olds are good enough.”
The TSG also noted that the Nigerian team play a passing game that can be used to frustrate the Germans, if they are denied the ball over long periods and they will also not be able to hurt the Falconets.
“Nigeria can also be direct but with dynamism. The reliance on possession reflects the psychological maturity and also indicates the preparation the teams have gone through before they arrive at the tournament and in that regard we are pleased because we are seeing some pretty fine football here. And the players have been rewarded for their excellent football.”
The question will be whether the team’s pretty approach to playing can hurt the host, Germany today in Bielefeld.
What can be surmised from the tournament so far is that this Nigerian team is better than the previous ones because they are more technically aware than their predecessors.
The TSG agrees, “Nigeria is the best team I have seen from that country in ten years of watching them at world events. They have all the classic qualities of Nigerian teams: great tackling and physical presence and unbelievable speed but they are more disciplined as well.”
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