AFCON 2024 Qualifier: Madugu Replaces Oshoala, Echegini

Coach Justin Madugu has been compelled to pick replacements for forward Asisat Oshoala and midfielder Jennifer Echegini after the duo voluntarily opted out of the Super Falcons’ squad that is due to contest a 2024 Women Africa Cup of Nations final qualifying fixture against Cape Verde, with the first leg in Abuja in four days. NFF’s Assistant Director (Technical), Abdulrafiu Yusuf, said the two players had been sent their flight tickets to travel to Nigeria a whole week before they announced on Saturday that they would be unable to join the squad. “We were surprised that they had the flight tickets for so long and did not say anything, only for them to send different messages on Saturday that they would be unable to make the trip. However, Coach Madugu has moved swiftly to call up replacements for them,” disclosed Yusuf. Midfield lynchpin Halimatu Ayinde, who missed the 2024 Olympics qualifying fixture against Ethiopia last month, is still out injured, and forward Ifeoma Onumonu also requested to be left out, saying she is nursing an injury. Defender Michelle Alozie told the team administrator that she will be undergoing a surgery. Madugu has called up Portugal-based Peace Efih to once again fill the space vacated by Ayinde, while Rivers Angels’ midfielder Motunrayo Ezekiel will take the place of Christy Ucheibe, who is unable to travel to Nigeria from her base in Portugal. Nigeria U20 Girls’ ace forward Chioma Olise will take the place of US-based Echegini while Chiamaka Chukwu of Rivers Angels has been called up to take Oshoala’s place. The Super Falcons will host the first leg of the fixture against their counterparts from Cape Verde at the MKO Abiola National Stadium, Abuja on Thursday, 30th November, with the second leg scheduled for the Santiago-Estadio Nacional Blue Shark in Praia on Tuesday, 5th December. NEW LIST OF INVITED PLAYERS: Goalkeepers: Chiamaka Nnadozie (Paris FC); Tochukwu Oluehi (Shualat Alsharqia FC, Saudi Arabia); Christiana Obia (Edo Queens) Defenders: Osinachi Ohale (Pachuca FC, Mexico); Glory Edet (FCF TP Mazembe, DR Congo); Rihanat Kasali (Bayelsa Queens); Oluwatosin Demehin (Stade de Reims, France); Akudo Ogbonna (Remo Stars Ladies); Rofiat Imuran (Stade de Reims, France)  Midfielders: Motunrayo Ezekiel (Rivers Angels); Esther Onyenezide (FC Robo Queens); Peace Efih (Sporting Club de Braga, Portugal); Rasheedat Ajibade (Atletico Madrid FC, Spain); Deborah Abiodun (University of Pittsburgh, USA); Toni Payne (Sevilla FC, Spain); Chioma Olise (Edo Queens)  Forwards: Omorinsola Babajide (Coasta Adeje Tenerife Egatesa, Spain); Chiamaka Chukwu (Rivers Angels); Esther Okoronkwo (Coasta Adeje Tenerife Egatesa, Spain); Uchenna Kanu (Racing Louisville, USA); Gift Monday (Coasta Adeje Tenerife Egatesa, Spain).

Colombia 2024: Falconets Brush Aside Tanzania, Reach Final Round

Goals by Janet Akekoromowei and Comfort Folorunsho against Tanzania at the MKO Abiola Stadium, Abuja on Sunday gave Nigeria a 2-1 win and progress to the final round of qualifiers for the 2024 FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup finals. After a gloomy afternoon for Nigerian ball fans following the Super Eagles’ disappointing 1-1 draw with the Warriors of Zimbabwe in neutral Rwanda in the race to 2026 FIFA World Cup finals, the Falconets gave the fans something to smile about as they edged their Tanzanian counterparts 3-2 on aggregate to reach the final round, where they will take on Burundi’s U20 girls. The 2022 World Cup quarter-finalists, who have never been absent from the global finals, swarmed on the visitors from the first blast of the whistle, but poor marksmanship on the part of former U17 team striker Opeyemi Ajakaye robbed them of an early goal. Akekoromowei eventually put Nigeria in front after 16 minutes, when she rifled home from the edge of the box after an intelligent pass from Taiwo Afolabi. Five minutes later, the East Africans were at parity, when goalkeeper Shukura Bakare dropped the ball from an innocuous-looking free-kick 35 yards out and Jamila Mnunduka bundled the ball over the line. Nigeria would have been ahead in the 25th minute, but defender Shukurat Oladipo’s well-struck free-kick from 40 yards was parried away by goalkeeper Zulfa Ally Makau. Ajakaye failed to make hay with another opportunity in the 33rd minute. On the hour mark, defender Comfort Folorunsho broke the spell of 1-1draws for Nigeria’s national teams in recent weeks, when she leapt highest to head home from Afolabi’s cross after a couple of touches from a corner kick.   The Falconets will now take on Burundi in the final round of qualifiers, to determine one of Africa’s flagbearers at next year’s global championship to be hosted by Colombia.   

2026 World Cup Race: Again, Eagles Settle For Draw Against Zimbabwe

The Super Eagles, again, had to settle for a 1-1 draw on Day 2 of the FIFA World Cup qualifying African series after a tame performance failed to lift them above the Warriors of Zimbabwe in neutral Rwandan ground on Sunday. Walter Musona put the Warriors in front after 26 minutes with a 35-yard free-kick that eluded goalkeeper Francis Uzoho and sailed into the net. The Eagles did not play with the stronger mentality and determination they espoused after the 1-1 draw with Lesotho in Uyo on Thursday, as the Warriors, who played their own game against Rwanda a day earlier and better-rested, showed more hunger and desire for the three points. Moses Simon’s stout shielding of the ball and good decision in the box allowed Kelechi Iheanacho to slam past the goalkeeper for Nigeria’s equalizer after 67 minutes in Butare. The 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers resume in June 2024 with Nigeria hosting South Africa, current leaders of Group C, before travelling to an away game against Benin Republic.    

Int’l Friendly: Eagles Set To Strike Mambas As World Cup Race Beckons

After conceding a last-minute goal that tied their encounter with Saudi Arabia 2-2 in Portimäo on Friday, the Super Eagles are determined to earn a win over the Mambas of Mozambique on Monday in order to have a positive mindset ahead of 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches against Lesotho and Zimbabwe next month. Forward Kelechi Iheanacho, who changed the tenor of the game and netted a spectacular second goal against the Green Falcons, will not be available to Coach Jose Peseiro on Monday having left the camp to attend to personal matters. Also unavailable is Ballon d’Or Dozen-shortlister Victor Osimhen, who is nursing a hamstring injury. Yet, Peseiro is bullish ahead of the encounter, insisting he has a clutch of forwards who can send packing the southern Africans in their only fifth-ever clash with Nigeria at senior level. “We will miss Kelechi and Victor, but we have other good players who can make Nigeria proud. I look at the bench and see players who can step up and take their chances.” The clash with the Mambas is the last gathering for the three-time African champions before the race to the 2026 FIFA World Cup begins, in which they host the Crocodiles of Lesotho and then fly to play Zimbabwe’s Warriors away, all within a few days in November. In the absence of Iheanacho and Osimhen, Peseiro will have to cast his lot with Terem Moffi, Victor Boniface, Samuel Chukwueze, Sadiq Umar and Moses Simon, and hope that Alex Iwobi comes to the party in his playmaking role to supply ammunition to the forwards. Defenders Kenneth Omeruo, Jordan Torunarigha and Chidozie Awaziem, and midfielders Frank Onyeka, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru and Raphael Onyedika did not taste action against the Saudis, and could prove to be Peseiro’s aces against the Mambas at the Estadio Municipal de Portimäo on Monday. Nigeria and Mozambique have met four times at senior level, with the Super Eagles winning a friendly match in Maputo by a lone goal, before home-and-away 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches that remain fresh in the memory till this day. Mambas’ forward ‘Tico Tico’ Bucuane proved a thorn in Nigeria’s flesh in the first encounter in Maputo that ended scoreless. At the MKO Abiola Stadium, Abuja in October 2009, it was heading to another 0-0 scoreline before Yusuf Ayila valiantly rescued an outbound ball that landed on the head of Victor Obinna Nsofor for the only goal of the match. Had the match ended 0-0, Nigeria would have been eliminated from the race to the first FIFA World Cup on African soil. Few months later, at the Africa Cup of Nations finals in Angola, the Eagles spanked the Mambas 3-0 in Lubango to qualify for the tournament’s quarter finals.    

Afrobasket: D’Tigress crush Rwanda, reach 4th consecutive final

Nigeria’s Senior Women’s Basketball Team, D’Tigress on Thursday pummeled host country Rwanda, 79-48 to reach another final of the ongoing Afrobasket Women’s Championship. The team, who has been dominant in the competition since 2015, are yet to lose any match and are now gunning for their fourth successive title.They have now extended their unbeaten run to 23 games and will next face the winner between Senegal and Mali in the final on Saturday.Amy Okonkwo as usual, unleashed the necessary qualities as she recorded 23 points, 10 rebounds, two steals, and one block to help the team get past Rwanda who had a huge home support.D’Tigress were dominant all through the four quarters of the match recording, 22-6, 22-12, 17-14, and 13-21 to coast home a 79-48 victory.The last time Nigeria lost a game in the Women’s Afrobasket was in 2015 against Cameroon in the semi-finals.In a post-match news conference monitored, the Head Coach of Rwanda, Sheik Caar, admitted that Nigeria is a powerhouse in basketball and that they made three points look easy and they had a 45 percent average.“If you have a team making three points look easy and you only have just one player making points, how are you going to win a team like Nigeria?“We tried but Nigeria is better physically and mentally, indeed they deserve to win and we just have to prepare harder next time,” Caar said.Also speaking, Nigeria’s Head Coach, Rena Wakama, who had just two weeks to prepare the team, expressed happiness over the victory.“It’s a very good feeling I give kudos to the players who gave their best and have done very well to reach another final.“Indeed it’s a great achievement and we look forward to playing in the final and winning the championship trophy,” Wakama said.The D’Tigress’ scorecard in the competition is, 69-35 against Congo, 83-65 against Egypt, 59-52 against Mozambique, and now 79-48 against Rwanda.