By Emmanuel Egobiambu


While the game appeared to be headed for extra time, with both teams unable to score, Guingamp's Desire Oparanozie, connected to an Ngozi Okobi cross - as the Cameroonians had failed to deal with it - before firing past Annette Ndom in goal to tame the roaring Lionesses' supporters at the Stade Ahmadou Ahidjo in Yaoundé and handed Florence Omagbemi's side their eighth continental crown out of a possible ten.

CONTINENTAL DOMINANCE

It thus reinforced Nigeria's dominance in the continent's women's game. From the records, the team has only failed twice, 2008 and 2012, both coincidentally hosted by Equatorial Guinea, to win the trophy.

In fact, before their first shock of not winning the championship in 2008, the Falcons had won all previous seven editions of the tournament.

However, inspite of the Falcons dominance in the African game, it is still a far cry from their outings at the international level.

And many a football enthusiasts have being asking why the team has not been able to make a mark during global showpiece.

FAILED PROMISES

Having participated in the World Cup seven times, Nigeria has played nineteen matches, won three, drawn two and lost fourteen.

Since their first outing at the Women's World Cup in 1991, Nigeria had gone on to participate in every world cup, posting a quarter-final finish in 1999 as their best performance.

They have also been to the Olympic games in 2000, 2004 and 2008, getting to the quarter final in 2004.

Many believe that the Falcons' little success at the world stage is unconnected to been paired up with female football super powers in the group stages.

At the 2007 World cup, the team was in a "group of death" - USA, Sweden and North Korea. They had gotten their biggest spanking in the hands of Sweden and Germany in 1995 and 2010 respectively.

Well, playing against this super powers in women football, early in these tournaments, seems to be a major undoing of the team.

Perhaps, since other African representatives in such global event post worse off results, it could be comfortably said that women football in Africa, is still a long way behind other continents.

POOR PREPARATION

Though the Falcons parade an admirable pool of talented players - scattered across various clubs in Europe - one major issue that hampers the team's outings in championships as the World Cup and Olympic Games, is lack of quality preparation.



There is no disputing the fact that the 2010 African Champions, have over the years, struggled with sorting out quality matches and camping programs. Playing against clubs or male teams might be good, but they are not the most apt oppositions for a team that could face Germany, USA, Norway, Japan or any of the traditional or emerging power houses in women's soccer.

COACHES COMPLAIN

Many Falcon's coaches have, over the years, lamented the lack of adequate support for the team while heading for major competitions.

In 2015, before the World Cup, coach Edwin Okon was quoted as saying, “We have not started anything and I hoped we would have started by now. This is the World Cup, the biggest football tournament in the world and the other teams have started some form of preparation."

WAKE UP CALL FOR NFF

Following from this, mapping out and adopting a roadmap that would place Nigeria where it belongs in world female football, can't be overstated. Now, that there is a crop of young and talented players in the team and even from junior teams, the 2019 World Cup being some two years away from now, the Amaju Pinnick-led football body must sit down and draw up a plan (if they don't have any) or seek to implement ways that would see the Falcons turn their dominance in Africa to the world stage.

If not, the team would fail to make any appreciable impact on the global stage, despite an overwhelming potential and dominance in Africa.

No! Because the FG, sports ministry and nff did not expect them to win the Africa women's nation cup.