₦airaland Forum

Didn't see this coming. Kudos to Ghana.
This scalp will most certainly boost their confidence for their game against Nigeria next month.

labas370:
Now 2:0.. ghana winning

No disputing that they are still our best centerbacks. However, you cannot discountenance the fact that Thembi has improved dramatically from 2018 and she is in top form now. Sharper, smarter and quicker on the ball. Her playing in the Spanish Iberdola has really helped her improve her overall game. She is a whole better now, than in 2018.
The problem we have is the likes of Ngozi, Ebi, Ohale, Chikwelu, etc, have tacked on a few more years and have slowed a bit since 2018. Thembi is only 25 and is near or at her peak.
The SA / Nigeria game will definitely be a very good test of the 2 best teams on the continent.

GeneralDae:
But Ebi and Ohale ( though slow or aged ) are probably our best defenders at the moment. I blame Oluehi for that Kgatlana goal at the first match (AWCON) than Ebi, and in the final when they met again, kgatlana had no answer to Ebi, Ngozi, Chuckwunoye, and Ohale. She was lost in that final.

...The same experience that let Kgatlana blow by Ebi and score the winning goal in the last AWCON, or the same experience that led Randy Waldrum to substitute a sluggish Rita Chikwelu in the Mali game for the much more dynamic and quicker Regina Otu?
Sure.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5kFZrz9OLc
- watch from min. 1:08 and see how she left Ebi for dead to score the brilliant goal.

Pidginwhisper:
it’s not about being fast but experience. Kgatlana has nothing on ebi. Experience defenders wouldn’t need to be fast with you stop your attacking threat. I don’t see anything special in her. Ghana has lost it. That’s just it.

Kgatlana is faster than Ebi. And I have little or no confidence in Akudo Ogbonna.
It will be an interesting game as after the first set of games, South Africa seems to be playing the best football of the six teams.

PDPGuy:
We got Onome to handle Kgatlana. No shaking

Thanks.

isan:
Here https://www.facebook.com/AishaBuhariCup/videos/386462546306164/

Can someone kindly provide the link?
Searched frantically online but to no avail.

No vex. My bad.
Was thinking it would be shown on NFF TV.
Didn't know it was being broadcast on those platforms.

isan:
What do u mean ? I watched it live very clean stream

Shouldn't be.
A lot of African countries are now taking women's football seriously.
In the case of North African teams, there are a ton of Arab women of North African decent playing in the top clubs in Spain, France, Switzerland, Germany and other top womens leagues who are being very actively recruited as we speak.
These countries aren't playing.
Gone are the days of whooping a team 5-0. We all saw how competitive Mali was yesterday. They are only going to get much more competitive.

Olafav:
what!
This is a shock

Wasn't even shown live. Sad.

isan:
Cameroon 0 - 1 Morocco. FT

Ordega!
Hasn't improved since the Summer Series.
Need to trial someone else on the flanks, please

Considering the fact that it is being played in an official FIFA window, and also the fact that this 'window' is for Type 1 friendlies (in lieu of a FIFA competition - WCQ, etc), those friendlies are therefore bound by the prevailing regulations - a team cannot play 2 consecutive matches within a 72 hour window. That means the old format is null and void.
If you want this to become an official FIFA friendly event (Like the Turkish Women's Cup, the Algrave Cup and 'She Believes' Cup, for example) THEN you have to abide by these rules.
At the time of the draws, FIFA approval had not yet been granted for this event (that happened on Thursday, I believe). Therefore, things had to be amended.
This tournament will help improve the FIFA rankings of the African teams participating - unlike before when those teams would go for months without a match and end up dropping in their standings due to inactivity.
Look at the big picture, guys.

BascoVanVeli:
It is in no way shape or fashion better than the original idea. Its a shame that it was changed to this because it would have been a great tournament.

Now THIS new schedule makes perfect sense!
Every team has at least 1 competitive game to play during this invitational.
The fact that, because of the FIFA Type 1 friendly rules, meaning at least, two days of rest between games, forced this adjustment to be made is a very good thing. The ladies will get the same dispensation afforded the men. Good move on the part of the NFF and the participating Federations.

Also, the fact that these matches WILL indeed count towards each teams FIFA ranking means ALL 6 teams are obligated to take the matches seriously and present their best foot forward, meaning the games will be competitive. Fans can watch a quality match each day of the competition, so fans will get to see the very best of African women's football over a whole week. Great! S. Africa vs. Ghana, Cameroon vs. Ghana, Nigeria v S. Africa, Morocco vs. Mali, Nigeria vs. Mali - these will be very interesting games...

My one suggestion for a change will be the start time - games should be slated for 6 or 7pm instead of 4pm, due to the Lagos heat. Otherwise, the changes make perfect sense!

PDPGuy:
Updates fixtures for the Aisha Buhari cup

I had previously quoted an article from an interview she had with the 'Atlantic', in which she spoke about her Camp experience during the Summer Series.
She is a naturally shy person and she is eager to learn more about Nigeria.
The fact that she opted out of the First Lady Tournament for personal reasons should be respected.
In her article, she kinda hinted that she was going thru an identity crisis (through no fault of hers). The Nigerian (and African) kids here in the US, especially the girls, really go through a rough time trying to identify and find themselves (culturally, societally, etc) in this society. I have 3 daughters and I am privy to the different challenges they go through, daily.
Fact is that Iffy is a beautiful, intelligent Nigerian girl and we need to support her as best as we can and make sure she feels at home whenever she associates with Nigeria or the Super Falcons. Ditto that with Zogg, Plumptre, Ariyo, Okoronkwo, Payne sisters, Balogun, George, Alozie and all the other young 'Nigerian' ladies in diaspora who want to connect with their motherland. Let them ALL know that they are all very welcome and that they are important members of the Super Falcons! We love and respect their decision.

She is naturally shy and I think she felt a bit out of place, not in a bad way though, as she mentioned in an article I read yesterday...

Ifeoma onumonu’s first games with Nigeria were a cultural education
https://cdn.theathletic.com/app/uploads/2021/06/25131409/GettyImages-1233543030.jpg

By Steph Yang Jun 25, 2021 10
Ifeoma onumonu’s first national-level cap came as a substitute, coming on for Nigeria in the 55th minute against Jamaica in U.S. Soccer’s Summer Series. Then came a start against Portugal, and then 25 minutes against the U.S. It was another step in onumonu’s steady ascension after the California native was approached by Super Falcons head coach Randy Waldrum late last year.

But while onumonu seemed to fit right in on the field, off the field it was a more complex situation.

“I’m an introvert. I’m not very good at being the one to talk first,” onumonu said in a phone call after returning to Gotham FC after the Summer Series.

There were familiar faces. One-time U.S. youth soccer teammate Toni Payne, whom onumonu said she considered a good friend, was also on the Nigeria roster. Former NWSL favorite Franny Ordega also helped her acclimate to the group.

“She was definitely one of those people that was like, hey, come here, sit here. Tell us more about yourself,” onumonu said.

Still, onumonu said she felt a disconnect in the locker room as someone who has gone through life as a Black American while being taught her parents’ Nigerian culture.

One of the most obvious divides between onumonu and her teammates was the language. “There are three main languages in Nigeria. So there’s Hausa, there’s Yoruba, and there’s Igbo. I am Igbo. I do not speak it at all,” onumonu said. She was raised in Southern California where her parents would speak Igbo to each other, but not to her.

“I think they kind of had that approach like, we’re in American now. And we really have to integrate ourselves into American culture, if you want to survive,” she said. “It’s just like, you’re an American. We’re here. We worked so hard to be here. And we worked so hard to make you an American. So that’s what you’re going to be.”

onumonu qualifies to represent Nigeria through her parents, both of them dual citizens who were born in Nigeria, and it was that duality that onumonu pointed to as part of her biggest adjustment in joining the team, more than any on-field tactics. “Soccer is soccer,” she said. The essentials of the game are the same wherever you go. But learning who your teammates are and the dynamics of a locker room — that can take a different kind of adaptation, especially when you come from different countries and cultures.

“I was raised in America and have kind of, like, an American mindset-style,” she said. “I am Nigerian, but obviously haven’t been there since I was very young. So, I think for me, that was the biggest adjustment I had to make. Trying to fit into the team, fit into the culture, integrate myself into the culture again. So, yeah, I think that’s really the biggest learning I have to do. But the women there were amazing, very welcoming, and it is such a bright and warm culture at the same time.”

“It’s like, sometimes I didn’t feel fully Nigerian,” she said. “But obviously, that’s not my fault. I think when (my teammates) see me, I’m supposed to be Nigerian. But at the same time, I’m like, okay, yes, but there’s also this part of my experiences and how I was raised, where I was raised, that shaped my thinking, shaped who I am that is different from you.”

Her teammates reacted with disbelief when she couldn’t speak any Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo, or pidgin, and would mention that she should learn. “And I’m like, I understand that. But you act like I had a choice in all this,” onumonu said with a gentle laugh. That was often her tone as she thoughtfully considered her place among a squad that made her feel welcome, but sometimes could also make her feel isolated due to their differences.

“I’m looking forward to just learning more about my heritage and knowing more about the Nigerian side of my culture,” She said. “Because I feel like there has been, because I was raised in the US, there has been lacking on that side. So being with the team has opened my eyes to, you know, that there’s so much more.”

It’s a common experience among American immigrants, seeing their U.S.-born children grow up completely immersed in a culture different to their own, only to become adults without strong ties to their parents’ home. It’s not universal of course; immigration stories run an enormous spectrum of experiences and emotions. Some immigrants do their best to keep to the traditions and beliefs of their mother culture; others leave their histories behind and attempt to assimilate into local culture. There’s no one authentic story of immigration. But many first-generation children find themselves searching for connections and histories, trying to reconcile experience and identity into one coherent life instead of two distinct lives that straddle an invisible line – a line that can shift depending on where you are and who is perceiving you.

Among any culture or ethnic group there’s a range of identity and experience, but often these groups tend to get flattened into homogeneity in the United States

“Because I am Black in America – I consider myself Nigerian – but in America, when people see me, I’m Black,” said onumonu. And in a room where everyone saw her as Nigerian, just as everyone else in the room was Nigerian, onumonu felt something she didn’t even realize was missing until she had it.

“You don’t really realize that there’s that lack there until you find out that there’s so much more,” she said. “I didn’t realize like, wow, this is what it feels like to have, and be surrounded by other people that are not necessarily Black but Nigerian, in being there and experiencing that and the way they think and how they feel. And I’m like, wow, I didn’t really know that I was missing all of this and that there is so much more that I can add to my experience.”

(Photo: Robin Alam / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Schemerkhiz:
Ifeoma Onumonu is a quality player and would add a lot of Dept upfront

But We shouldn't be begging any Player to play for us.. Let's hope things go the way we're expecting it

Roosa Ariyo debuts for UD Tenerife Grandilla against Barcelona.
Came on in the 59th min.
Full Match here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BT5hal5BaU8

How the heck is an old mama like Faith Ikidi still being considered for international call ups? Someone that has not even featured for Nigeria in over 3 years? What the heck is Ordega doing on the list?
Who on earth are these jokers recommending over the hill players to Randy Waldrum, when we should be building for the future? Nigerians want to watch exciting new and youthful players, not 40 something year old women. Faith Ikidi? I mean, seriously

Schemerkhiz:
Nigeria name 23-woman provisional list for tournament



Head Coach Randy Waldrum has named a 23-woman provisional list for the maiden edition of the Aisha Buhari Invitational Women’s Tournament, taking place in the City of Lagos, 13th – 21st of this month.



The list includes first choice goalkeeper Chiamaka, defenders Onome Ebi and Osinachi Ohale, midfielders Ngozi Okobi-Okeoghene and forwards Asisat Oshoala, Francisca Ordega and Rasheedat Ajibade.



THE FULL LIST



Goalkeepers: Tochukwu Oluehi (Maccabi Kishronot Hadera, Israel); Chiamaka Nnadozie (Paris FC, France); Yewande Balogun (California Storm, USA)



Defenders: Onome Ebi (Minsk FC, Belarus); Glory Ogbonna (Umea FC, Sweden); Osinachi Ohale (Deportivo Alaves, Spain); Faith Ikidi (Pitea DFF, Sweden); Michelle Alozie (Houston Dash, USA); Akudo Ogbonna (Edo Queens); Oluwatosin Demehin (Rivers Angels)



Midfielders: Rita Chikwelu (Madrid CFF, Spain); Ngozi Okobi-Okeoghene (Eskilstuna United, Sweden); Tony Payne (Sevilla FC, Spain); Regina Otu (Minsk FC, Belarus); Goodness Onyebuchi (Edo Queens); Joy Bokiri (AIK Sweden FC, Sweden)



Forwards: Asisat Oshoala (FC Barcelona, Spain); Rasheedat Ajibade (Atletico Madrid, Spain); Francisca Ordega (CSKA Moscow, Russia); Gift Monday (FC Robo Queens); Uchenna Kanu (Linkopings FC, Sweden); Desire Oparanozie (Dijon FC, France); Esther Okoronkwo (Saint Etienne, France)

.

First Lady Cup Draws

This was absolutely ridiculous. I am extremely disappointed in the very poor process that the NFF just displayed to the world.
You seed Nigeria and Cameroon, based on their FIFA ranking, which makes perfect sense. You then have 4 countries left - South Africa (55), Ghana (59), Morocco (81) and Mali (84).

So, how do you do this by creating a perception of equity and maintaining a level of competitiveness?
1. Have two pots - Pot A, with South Africa and Ghana. Pot B, with Morocco and Mali.
2. Use their FIFA ranking to determine who goes into slots 2 and 3 - e.g. A2, B2 and A3, B3
How difficult was that?

I can't believe that this was too difficult for the likes of Aisha Falode to figure out, considering all the years she has spent organizing Women's football, not just in Nigeria but on the Continent. Instead, we get Group A - Nigeria, Morocco and Mali, and Group B - Cameroon, South Africa and Ghana. It gives the impression that the draw was rigged to give Nigeria a free pass to the finals. Disgraceful.

This whole draw show was a farce and very poorly organized.

I meant 'us' (Nigeria), not CSKA

Schemerkhiz:
She already joined them..

The real question is:
Sh'Nia Gordon - is she coming onboard?

Schemerkhiz:
She has played in Russia before for Rossiyanka FC alongside Desire Oparanozie,

CSKA needed this signing bad bad to get that Champions League slot (Russia only have two)..
They bought in Damjanovic from Sporting, GIdeon from Dijon in France and then Ordega

Cameroonian veteran Aboudi Onguene have been playing in Russia for over 7yrs now

The money that is talking right now.. Russia is ranked between 12-14 as far as the European women Football Leagues are concerned

It may be a case of her not measuring up to the Primera Iberdrola standards. She looked rather out of shape and unfit during the Summer series, in comparison to the other players in camp and especially, those who came from Spain.
Hopefully, its not going to be downhill for her, as she is one SF who has really travelled the world.

Schemerkhiz:
Breaking News

Nigerian soccer player Francisca Ordega "Franny" leaves Levante UD and is transferred to CSKA Moscow, after the agreement was made official.


Ordega was one of the attackers recently added to the squad. With the last blows of the Primera Iberdrola 2020/21 she joined the ranks of Levante. During that period of time, Franny only played three official matches as a Levantine, entering as a revulsive.

Now, just two weeks after playing the first preliminary phase of the Women's Champions League, the Levantine team is left without the 27-year-old African, in exchange for a sum of economic income that has not materialized.

Yes, he is right in that sense.
My bad.

naptu2:
He is referring to the 2002 edition. They won 1-0 in the group stage in Warri, but we beat them 2-0 in the final.

The only times the Ghanaian women's teams have defeated a Nigerian team is:
1. Women's WAFU Cup held in Ghana in 2019 - Ghana won 5-4 on penalties.
2. African Women's Champion's League Qualifiers, WAFU B finals in 2021- Hasaacas of Ghana won 3-1.
Two (2) wins in about 10 encounters!
But that's okay. Enjoy your victory.

PetroDolla2020:
You don’t get it, right? I told you nigeria used to dominate female football in Africa. I just told you that this victory by Hasaacas marks the beginning of a change in that paradigm. It was obvious from the way the Ghanians played your team, it was obvious they came into the game brimming with great confidence, great composure. That is what I am talking about. Do you know what it means to have a psychological boost, going into future games with an opponent you think you can beat?

Why do you think Ghanaian male teams often beat their Nigerian opponents? It’s mainly psychological A typical Ghanaian male team goes into every game with Nigeria with the belief they can beat them. And it works most of the time. And now the female Ghanaian teams are getting the confidence and psychological boost that they can play and beat Nigerian female teams. That changes everything. Watch this space. Future matches involving female teams from Ghana and Nigeria will be far more interesting than they had been in the past. You may not agree, but I can tell you for free that the era of Nigeria’s dominance in female football in Africa is gone for good!

Ghana’s female team was the first female team to beat Nigeria in Nigeria many years ago, at Warri. Go back and look at your records. It’s not as if Nigeria had been totally dominant over Ghana’s female teams in the past. Ghana had won Nigerian female teams in the past.

Not true.
[url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2006_African_Women%27s_Championship]AWCON 2006 - Warri, Nigeria[/url]

PetroDolla2020:
You don’t get it, right? I told you nigeria used to dominate female football in Africa. I just told you that this victory by Hasaacas marks the beginning of a change in that paradigm. It was obvious from the way the Ghanians played your team, it was obvious they came into the game brimming with great confidence, great composure. That is what I am talking about. Do you know what it means to have a psychological boost, going into future games with an opponent you think you can beat?

Why do you think Ghanaian male teams often beat their Nigerian opponents? It’s mainly psychological A typical Ghanaian male team goes into every game with Nigeria with the belief they can beat them. And it works most of the time. And now the female Ghanaian teams are getting the confidence and psychological boost that they can play and beat Nigerian female teams. That changes everything. Watch this space. Future matches involving female teams from Ghana and Nigeria will be far more interesting than they had been in the past. You may not agree, but I can tell you for free that the era of Nigeria’s dominance in female football in Africa is gone for good!

Ghana’s female team was the first female team to beat Nigeria in Nigeria many years ago, at Warri. Go back and look at your records. It’s not as if Nigeria had been totally dominant over Ghana’s female teams in the past. Ghana had won Nigerian female teams in the past.

Actually, I don't 'think' they will win...I am extremely confident Rivers Angels will win the CL!

PetroDolla2020:
You think Nigeria will win the CL final? I don’t think so. Watch out for Hasaacas Ladies. In a few moths from now they will be totally transformed. They are going to get all the support they need from now on, and you’ll be surprised how much they would have improved the next time you see them play.

Congratulations to my sweet Hasaacas Ladies for making all Ghanaians proud today. I pray you win more trophies for Mother Ghana. Amen!

Agree that Ghana played well enough to win today. Congrats to them.
And yes, they had scoring opportunities in the first match which they didn't take advantage of. However, I it was also obvious (if you watched the first match) that Nigeria had and spurned several other scoring opportunities. So, Nigeria was the better side in match day 1.
Don't think it was an issue of pacing themselves. Nigeria was royally let down by poor keeping today. Plain and simple. That, to me, was the main difference.
But, no need whining - congrats to Hasaacas. Will see what happens in the CL finals when Nigeria wins it. That's the most important one.

PetroDolla2020:
This is the first time Hasaacas Ladies had played outside Ghana. So they were very naive. Also, their preparation for the tournament wasn’t great. They only got serious few weeks to the tournament when they made an appeal for financial support from Ghanaians and got a very good response.

If you watched the first match between the two teams, Hasaacas made some silly mistakes which the Nigerians capitalized on to score those two goals. Hasaacas also missed two glorious opportunities to score in the first match. They even hit the upright.

Meanwhile, the nigerian girls were busy scoring goals because they were promised one million naira per each goal scored They were busy banging in goals when they should be pacing themselves for the final. I watched highlights of the match today and I dare say the better team won!

Congratulations to my Ghana girls. God bless you for inflicting another sweet victory on Nigeria! It’s sweet. Very sweet

Won't be so quick to jump to such a conclusion, if I were you.
Their football philosophy is pretty much the same and their ladies have started to get much better.

timay:
The best team they will play is this ghanian team. It's like you are ascribing the reputation of the North African men to their women . Like seriously? They North African women are probably the worse women team on the continent.

For me, Omagbemi, yes. Liked her a lot and liked the ebb and flow of her team - their transition from defense to attack was nice to watch.
Eucharia, no. She brought her personal sentiments to the job.

Schemerkhiz:
It was in 2014/2015 when Edwin Okon was Coach he tried bringing her in to replace Precious Dede knowing fully well that she has never been top notch...

Nigerian Coaches with their Sentiment...
One of the reason i respect Coach Florence Omagbemi and Uche Ngozi Eucharia

The Ghanaians learnt a thing or two from the Togolese team and dialed it up a notch. Crowd the Nigerians, rough them up and not let them have any time on the ball. Even though the first goal rattled the Nigerians, it was clear Okon did not have any answers to the Hassacass onslaught, especially in the first half. For someone who coached the Nigerian national team at the nations cup and the World Cup, the man got clearly outcoached today and was bereft of solutions!
Nigeria had the ascendancy after they equalized, but I felt they were really let down by poor goalkeeping.
All in all, good tournament and I am happy this disappointment happened now. Nigeria needs to go back home, retool, learn how to play quicker (for teams that would not let you have time on the ball - North African and South African teams), revamp the goal keeping corps and focus on wining the Champions league cup in Egypt next month.
We lost the battle, but we must win the war! Go RA girls!!!

Alaba displaced Whyte and tended goal in 2014 (Cameroon)

Schemerkhiz:
Alaba Jonathan

They lost 3-1 to Hassacass in the final, a team they defeated 2-0 in their opening match

robosky02:
Who dey win

Whyte was rather poor today. Truth is, she was never really tested in the group stage and her weaknesses were exposed in the Semis and Final. She has proven that she is certainly not it.
In a sense, its a good thing this happened now, prior to the CL proper in Egypt.
I also understand Osun Babes keeper, Christiana Obia, has been signed by Rivers Angels and would hopefully, take over the GK position.

Schemerkhiz:
Same thing Okon did while he was the Coach of the Superfalcons, tried every means to make Whyte first choice ahead of veteran Precious Dede then but didn't work out...

Abeg make Okon and e sentiment get out

3-1.
Another error from Whyte.
Flubbed on a cross into the box. Cleared intially by the defense, but then long range shot caught her flat footed.
The Ghanaian keeper is miles better than her.
I'm sorry, this lady is done. Coach needs to sub her out. ASAP!