Super Falcons Target World Cup Ticket against Cameroon’s Lionesses

Duro Ikhazuagbe

Ninety minutes stand between Nigeria and another ticket to the FIFA World Cup which has become a sort of birthright for the Nigerian ladies. Why not? Nigeria has not missed any edition since the inaugural one in China in 1991.

It is not out of place for this generation led by 39-year-old Onome Ebi to believe they can keep the tradition going by beating Cameroon’s Lionesses to the semi final ticket tonight in Casablanca, Morocco and a place in the Australia & New Zealand party next year.

Yesterday, Zambia and Morocco booked their places in the ladies Mundial with victories over Senegal and Botswana respectively. It took the Zambians 120 minutes of toil and sweat before triumphing in 4-2 shootouts against the Senegalese.

Hosts Morocco on the other hand were the better team in their clash with Botswana, clinching the semifinal and World Cup ticket with 2-1 defeat of the Southern African ladies.

With most teams in the continent having narrowed the gap between them and the previously dominant Falcons, nobody should expect the Cameroonian ladies to come cheap.

Cameroon will come into Thursday’s encounter with the mentality of the yam pounder, knowing they have always been second best to Nigeria at this level, and a third consecutive appearance at the FIFA World Cup will certainly appeal to the Indomitable Lionesses.

A 1-2 defeat at the hands of South Africa’s Banyana Banyana in their opening match of Group C last week Monday somewhat dimmed the shine of the Super Falcons, but they rose stoutly to the occasion and won their other two matches with six points and six goals advantage shooting them to the last eight.

Cameroon also started somewhat slowly, drawing with Zambia, but they picked up impressively and their reward is what is actually the most anticipated quarter-final tie at this tournament.

Both countries flew Africa’s flag at the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup finals in Canada and at the last edition in France three years ago, but Nigeria are the untouchables, being one of only six countries on the planet to have participated in all eight editions of the quadrennial global showpiece.

“We are ready to face Cameroon,” said Nigeria coach Randy Waldrum, after his Super Falcons arrived in Morocco’s commercial and economic capital, Casablanca on Monday ahead of tonight’s encounter.

Forwards Rasheedat Ajibade and Uchenna Kanu, on two goals each, are expected to start against Cameroon, with Coach Waldrum also expected to keep faith with most of the crew that decimated Burundi in Rabat on Sunday night.

All four teams that make the semi finals at the ongoing continental championship in Morocco would have picked automatic tickets for the Women’s World Cup, with the team adjudged to have finished fifth presented with another chance for a shot at a Playoff Tournament next year.

RESULTS

Zambia 4-2 Senegal

Morocco 2-1 Botswana

TODAY

Cameroon v Nigeria 6pm

S’Africa v Tunisia 9pm

Nigeria’s Dominance over Cameroon

DATE SCORELINE

June 19th 1991 2-0

June 30th 1991 4-0

Oct 27th 1998 6-0

Nov 18th 2000 3-0