Players and officials of nine-time African champions Nigeria have started arriving in the city of Angers, France from Wednesday morning, ahead of Saturday’s much-anticipated international friendly game between the Super Falcons and the Les Bleues.
It is the second time both teams will engage in a friendly encounter – the first being a forgettable experience for the Falcons as they lost by eight goals in freezing weather inside Le Mans’ Stade Marie-Marvingt on 6th April 2018.
Only goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie, who plays her club football in France, and Mexico- based defender Osinachi Ohale, remain from that squad that was undone by, among other things, a hat-trick from Valérie Gauvin and an own goal by defender Faith Ikidi-Michael. The defeat equalled the Falcons’ biggest-ever defeats – by Norway at the 1995 FIFA World Cup finals in Sweden and by Germany in a friendly in Leverkusen’s Bay Arena on 25th November 2010.
However, clashes at the FIFA World Cup finals have been much closer, with the Falcons losing by the odd goal against the Les Bleues in Germany in 2011, and by the same margin at the Roazhon Park when both sides clashed at the 2019 finals hosted by France.
The consummation of Saturday’s encounter is further confirmation of the Ibrahim Musa Gusau-led administration’s commitment to fully blood a new Super Falcons’ squad, by implementing a process of exposure and experience-garnering for the new squad, following an under-par outing at the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament in France this summer.
The big game with the Les Bleues comes up only five weeks after the first of two friendly matches with Algeria’s Green Ladies in Nigeria (2-0 and 4-1 wins), and eight days after the Super Falcons learnt they would be playing Tunisia, Algeria and Botswana in the group phase at the 13th Women AFCON in Morocco next summer.
Saturday’s match will commence at 9.30pm France time, same time as in Nigeria.
SUPER FALCONS FOR LES BLEUES CHALLENGE:
Goalkeepers: Chiamaka Nnadozie (Paris FC, France); Anderline Mgbechi (Rivers Angels); Rachael Unachukwu (Nasarawa Amazons)
Defenders: Osinachi Ohale (Pachucha Club de Futbol, Mexico); Michelle Alozie (Houston Dash, USA); Ashleigh Plumptre (Ittihad Ladies, Saudi Arabia); Rofiat Imuran (London City Lioness, England); Sikiratu Isah (Nasarawa Amazons); Oluwatosin Demehin (Galatasaray Sportive, Turkey)
Midfielders: Jennifer Echegini (Paris Saint Germain, France); Toni Payne (Everton Ladies, England); Josephine Mathias (Nasarawa Amazons); Christy Ucheibe (SL Benfica, Portugal); Shukurat Oladipo (FC Robo Queens); Adoo Yina (Nasarawa Amazons)
Forwards: Blessing Nkor (Pyramids FC, Egypt); Gift Monday (Coasta Adeje Tenerife Egatesa (Spain); Ifeoma Onumonu (Montpellier FC, France); Omorinsola Babajide (Coasta Adeje Tenerife Egatesa (Spain); Mercy Omokwo (Bayelsa Queens)
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