Players and officials of Nigeria’s nine-time African champions, the Super Falcons, have arrived in Angers, France, ahead of their highly anticipated international friendly match against the French women’s national team, Les Bleues, on Saturday.
This will mark the second meeting between the two teams, with their first encounter in April 2018 ending in a heavy 8-0 defeat for the Falcons in the freezing cold at Le Mans’ Stade Marie-Marvingt.
The loss was a painful one for Nigeria, equaling their largest-ever defeat in history, previously suffered in 1995 against Norway at the FIFA World Cup in Sweden and again in 2010 in a friendly against Germany at Leverkusen’s Bay Arena.
From the squad that endured the heavy loss six years ago, only goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie, who plays her club football in France, and Mexico-based defender Osinachi Ohale, remain.
The Falcons will look to bounce back from their previous heavy loss and make a statement in this highly anticipated friendly.
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)
