Nigeria’s women’s national team coach Uche Eucharia has made it clear that the Super Falcons have only one objective at the African Women Championship; to recapture the crown they lost last tournament at Equatorial Guinea.

Uche’s team played out a 2-2 draw against an Under-17 boys team in Abuja on Sunday and Uche says her wards are ready.

“We are not just going there to participate; we are not only going there to qualify for the World Cup. We are going there to win the trophy. If these girls can run the way they did against a strong boys team like this, it how's they can do even better against girls.”

Uche has named an experienced squad sprinkled with players from the Under-17 and Under-20 teams which made a splash at their respective World Cup tournaments earlier this year, and says she is confident that her team will be the best in.

http://www.kickoff.com/news/18456/uche-eucharia-wants-gold-at-african-women-championship.php

Ma God ''Boys teasm under 17 played against Falcon's team''.
I'm sure a lot would happen in dat match
God i wanna play for Nigeria

Mbachu assures on colleagues’ absence


Super Falcons striker Stella Mbachu has assured Nigerians that the absence of some the team’s prized professional players from the African Women’s Championship (AWC) which starts on October 31 in South Africa will not affect the fortune of the team at the biennial football fiesta.

The dependable striker who was sorely missed two years back in Equatorial Guinea told SuperSport.com on Monday that adequate replacements have been effected; she added that the assignment before the team goes beyond persons.

“The three players, Faith Ikidi, Cynthia Uwak and Sarah Michael will be missed for good not for bad because the replacements are ready to deliver.

The assignment is not an individual thing; it is about winning the title and qualifying Nigeria for the World Cup. That is the only thing going on in our minds right now.

We are hundred percent ready mentally, physically and psychologically to go to South Africa and win the title.”

The five-time African champions play Mali on November 01, South Africa and new comer Tanzania on October 07, Mbachu explained to SuperSport.com that Nigeria have an edge over her opponents but would give each of them adequate attention.

“Football in Africa has grown, all our opponents are the same, we rate them the same and going to treat them that way.

No country is a minnow; the way we play South Africa will be the same way we will play against Mali and Tanzania.

“We have an edge as five-time African champions. We have experience and maturity. Nigeria is still a power house in African women football and our opponents are aware of this.

“Equatorial Guinea may not even qualify, so we may not have to worry about them but if we do meet we know them inside out especially the Nigerians in their midst. We are psychologically ready to take on other Africans in South Africa,” she said.

The top two finishers at the biennial football event will qualify to represent Africa at next year’s Fifa Women’s World Cup in Germany.

http://www.supersport.com/football/nigeria/news/101026/Mbachu_assures_on_colleagues_absence

Did Ngozi Okobi & Loveth Ayila from the U-17 make the team? Honeric, post the full team list make I see.

^^^^'

I don't have the full list yet.

honeric01:

^^^^'

I don't have the full list yet.

Was listening to news and they mentioned some of the players. It was mostly the oldies with some of the U-20 & U-17.

I heard the names of Desire Oparanozie, Ebere Orji, Helen Ukaonu from the U-20 team (I guess there are more of them though) and Francesca Ordega from the U-17.

If Francesca Ordega (who is an average player IMO) can make the team then I see no reason why Loveth Ayila (our best & most outstanding player at T&T 2010 U-17 competition) and Ngozi Okobi who are better players shouldn't.

@ honeric
I did a little googling and I came up with the team list.

I'm actually impressed cos it's a very strong squad with a mixture of experience & youth. It has quite a handful of players from the U-20. Also, my 3 players from the U-17 - Loveth Ayila, Ngozi Okobi and Francesca Ordega made the team.

My only problem with the list is the omission of Cynthia Uwak & the U-20 captain, Joy Jegede who IMO is a very good player and formed a v.good central defence patnership with Osinachi Ohale at Germany 2010 U-20 Women Championship. I was hoping those two will pair up in central defence again. I hope her replacement is as good as she is or even better. With good team selection and tactics, this team can win the AWC.

Here is the full list:
Perpetual Nkwocha (Cpt) - Sunana SK, Sweden
Stella Mbachu - RA
Desire Oparanozie - RA
Ebere Orji - RA
Precious Dede - BQ
Tochukwu Oluehi - BQ
Francesca Ordega - BQ
Loretta Sadoh - BQ
Chioma Ajagba - DQ
Osinachi Ohale - DQ
Ngozi Okobi - DQ
Helen Ukaonu -DQ
Ulunma Jerome - RA
Gladys Akpa - RA
Glory Iroka -  RA
Josephine Chukwunoye - RA
Esther Sunday - SQ
Amarachi Okoronkwo - NA
Loveth Ayila - MB
Rita Chikwelu - Umea IK FC, Sweden
Onome Ebi - Djurgadens FC, Sweden

Key: RA - Rivers Angel, BQ - Bayelsa Queens, DQ - Delta Queens, SQ - Sunshine Queens, NA - Nasarawa Amazons, MB - Makwada Babes (Adamawa).

Hmmm. . .so upon all their sharia, dem dey allow woman play ball for Adamawa & Nassarawa states?

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2010/10/falcons-vow-to-reclaim-awc-title/

thanks for the update bro, i think uwak's injured, hence her exclusion, the squad looks balance to me and i can only wish them success, the tournament starts this weekend right?

Yeap! The tournament kicks off this weekend. . .to be exact, on Sunday (31st October) and we'll be playing our first match on Monday (1st November) against Mali.

Only 3 teams in that competition can constitute a threat to the Falcons IMO. They are:

Ghana - arguably the 2nd best team on the continent and one of the only 2 african teams to beat the Falcons. Also, they've had a wonderful preparation which culminated with a month long camping/training tour of Germany.

Cameroun - they have seriously upped their game. . .this is probably due to the fact that their best players play in Nigeria. Last time we met at the AWC in Equitorial Guinea, it was a 2-2 draw
[center]AND[/center]
South Africa - Na do or die for them. . .they've got home support and they'll do anything to make sure they get to the final and even win the competition just like Equitorial Guinea did two years ago.

The 2 teams who make it to the final qualify for Germany 2011 Women World Cup.

Cameroon, na so so mouth dem get jor, it's not about being as big as elephants, it's about doing something with that weight. the only 2 teams i see giving us a fight are South Africa and Ghana, the rest are O.Y.O, even in the world stage, only these 2 countries join us in facing the world.

honeric01:

Cameroon, na so so mouth dem get jor, it's not about being as big as elephants, it's about doing something with that weight. the only 2 teams i see giving us a fight are South Africa and Ghana, the rest are O.Y.O, even in the world stage, only these 2 countries join us in facing the world.

Hehehehe. . .so you too noticed how fat those camerounians players are? but seriously we shouldn't underrate them o. I saw their match against the Falcons two years ago in Equitorial Guinea and we didn't dominate them. If anything, it was a balanced and even game.

Anyway, I hope our local stations televise our matches.

semid4lyfe:

Hehehehe. . .so you too noticed how fat those camerounians players are? but seriously we shouldn't underrate them o. I saw their match against the Falcons two years ago in Equitorial Guinea and we didn't dominate them. If anything, it was a balanced and even game.

Anyway, I hope our local stations televise our matches.

I hope so too, i hope Ait or galaxy is going to show it, na mouth Cameroon women get joor, see, with this squad we have, i see us beating any African team black and blue including Ghana and SA.