Sports
‘Super Falcons Lack Harmony To Excel In Australia’
One of the world’s leading sports media platforms, ESPN, has described Super Falcons as a disorganised team that lacks the harmony needed to excel at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, which kicked off yesterday in Sydney.
Analysing the strengths and weaknesses of the 32 teams at the championship, ESPN said, “one reason the Super Falcons will not win the women’s championship is because, like South Africa, Nigeria often protested before receiving fair treatment from their football association.
“This may be a common, even unfair, struggle in women’s football, but the Falcons’ squad feels particularly disjointed at the moment.”
It listed Ngozi Okobi Okeoghene’s omission as a major talking point, adding that Randy Waldrum is under fire following Nigeria’s failure to win the last African Women Nations Cup in Morocco.
Predicting that Super Falcons might not qualify from their group, it said: “Nigeria still have the best team in Africa on paper, but they have been put in a tough group with Australia, the Republic of Ireland and Olympics champions, Canada.
“They might cause an upset along the way, but are highly unlikely to progress from their group, particularly with their women’s football at the lowest ebb.”
The organisation, however, tipped Falcons and Paris FC goalkeeper, Chiamaka Nnadozie, to shin#e at the championship due to her fine performances this season.
“Nnadozie, 22 years old, is already on the radar of some big clubs after helping her team qualify for the UEFA Champions League in back to back seasons,” ESPN said.
Vice president of the Nigeria Olympics Committee (NOC), Chief Solomon Ogba, foremost Sports Marketer and founder of Okpekpe Road Race, Mike Itemuagbor and top Sports Journalist and Media Strategist, Mitchel Obi have lent their voices in support of the Niger Delta Sports Festival (NDSF).
The personalities with backgrounds in sports administration, marketing and media spoke separately in commendation of the festival, an initiative of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) with Dunamis Icon as consultants.
“This is a positive addition to the evolving sports business ecosystem because it is not just a springboard for identifying talents, it also offers a platform to truly hone the skills of those already discovered”, remarked Obi, who served as Special Advisor to a former Sports Minister, late Anthony Ikhazabor.
He said the festival will be a flagship event in the region that would trigger interest in sports among the youths and people of the region.
Edo State-born Itemuagbor commended the NDDC for the decision to add sports in the list of their intervention projects in the region, adding that: “This speaks directly to the problem of youth restiveness which is of great concern to our people.”
Raphael Onyedika has now emerged as a major doubt for the Super Eagles’ must-win 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Rwanda and Zimbabwe later this month.
The midfielder was forced out early from last week’s league game against Standard Liege.
He has not recovered from the injury and so will miss today’s league match against Gent and may also miss a UEFA Champions League Round of 16 clash against Aston Villa yesterday.
The Super Eagles take on Rwanda in Kigali on March 21, before they face Zimbabwe in Uyo four days later in crucial World Cup qualifiers.
Nigeria’s Super Eagles and Al-Khalood defender, William Troost-Ekong, has shared his experience on the difficulties of winning the prestigious Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) while describing it a must win trophy.
The former Watford FC defender has competed in the tournament three times but has yet to lift the trophy.
“I’ve been there three times now, bronze medal, silver medal, but I haven’t had the chance to win it. That remains my ultimate goal,” he told Tidesports source.
“It means so much to me and all the kids growing up in Africa and Nigeria.”