₦airaland Forum

The Portland Thorns vs Racing Louisville game was played before the Bay FC vs Houston Dash game this past weekend.
For some context, San Jose (Bay FC) to London flight time is about 13 hrs, while Portland to London is about 9 hours.
Considering the antics of the NFF (cheap flights with Multiple stops and layovers), who knows.

do4luv14:
Since Saturday after her Club game, heck, she was even subbed out earlier, and yet Kanu who play on Sunday abi it's same day but late is in Camp,

what is she feeling like?

Yes, for the WWC, but not the Olympic qualifiers…

yinkeys:
CAF already used the Afcon 2022 for last years World Cup ticket

Sorry, but where did you get your intel from?
Who told you Monday was one of the first to arrive in camp? Don’t think that’s accurate.

Our Nigerian ladies are TOP professionals! They want to make it to the Olympics more than you or I want it. Make no mistake about that. Not sure what commitment you are talking about.

They had club games which they are obligated to attend, by virtue of their contracts and release windows mandated by FIFA. That is NOT their fault. The NFF should have been more intelligent in planning their respective itineraries to ensure they get here early. That is absolutely no fault of the players!

lovewins:
I sincerely do not blame FIFA. The modality for qualifications is CAF and CAF should have chosen a better model that allows for a level playing field. Also, these dates didn't just appear, the FIFA window for these games have been public knowledge since last year. I think we could have planned better and asked the players for a little more commitment than usual. Rinsola and Monday plays for the same club but Gift was one of the first arrival while Rinsola arrived later yesterday. I know it's a bit difficult and won't fault the players, but I think we should have been better prepared.

I am surprised people keep falling for all these mind games. All the SA people love doing is tooting their horn. They seem to be the only ones talking. That is typically a tell tale sign of being scared.
So, South Africa came into Nigeria 7 days ago. So ‘bloody well’ what? More than half of their team that came early are fringe players, who would probably not even see a minute of action. Their overseas players came in the same time our Naija ladies came in.
They have had an easy ride to this stage, playing Tanzania and Uganda - whoop tee do! Give me a break!
They wouldn’t know what hit them by the time we are done whooping them!

BascoVanVeli:
South africa have players based at home. Our players have to board flights to get here and we both know that anything can happen when it comes to that. I don't think this is a situation that the NFF is at fault. If anything I blame FIFA for
not arranging this break fairly. This gives a clear advantage to countries that use homebased players.

That said, if Waldrum gets things right we win EASILY

I mean, seriously?
Mercy Akide also ‘plays’, so why don’t you invite her also?

AndSunGorilla:
Onome Evi is also available now and actively playing.

She played under Randy in the US Summer series.
She started as CB and ended playing as RB against Jamaica and Portugal (or maybe the other way round).
She was rather unimpressive during the series.

lovewins:
Not competitively. But I think she was in one of their summer camps with Randy as coach. So wouldn't be their first interaction.

Okeke cannot and should not be in the back line as a starter. Thats like committing Harakiri!
The back 4 should be the same that ended the Cameroon game.
Alozie - Ohale - Ucheibe - N. Payne
We should be okay

Deltamani:
So right now we have

1. Osinachi Ohale
2. Chidinma Okeke
3. Shukurat Oladipo
4. Michelle Alozie
5. Nicole Payne
6. Jumoke Alani…

This defense line won’t be Bad though.
Alozie — Ohale — Okeke — N. Payne

Or we no longer trust Okeke anymore to play at this Level?? Or Ucheibe should be brought to the CB and allow btw Okeke and Nicole play Left Back.

🤣🤣
Nice one

mostob:
If you want to catch a monkey, you will do like a monkey.


Remember the proverbial elephant story too.

These old, do nothing women again!
Hopefully, they can be broomed out of the team and younger, more productive people who are in tune with reality are brought in to move us forward.

Deltamani:
Happy Easter my people !

In another News Super Falcons opens camp today for the must win Olympic Qualifiers against South Africa.
Friday 5th and 9th the days of reckoning.
Pic : Coach Ann Chiejine , Oluchi Tobex Tobe-Chukwu, Mary Obodoku and our Physio Adaku Nwachukwu at the MM 1 , Lagos

Ah, I beg o?
We need to take that S A team down. No mercy and no quarters given. This one no be play-play. We really need to crush them!

Deltamani:
Their two have been so close since Linda moved there.. Kanu first goal last two Weeks both of them celebrated together with an Amapiano Dance..

Nicole Payne with cameo in 77th min along with Sinclair.
Contributed to the equalizer.

BTW: why was Kanu doing a celebratory dance with Linda Mothalo of South Africa? Linda is in the enemy camp o!😉

Enjoy...


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

Deltamani:
8 goals in 8 Serie A matches For Onyi Echegini


1 goal every 47 minutes
Surreal impact.
#Echegini

Rasheedat Ajibade goal


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5iyg85OmME

Brilliant goal from Toni Payne


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TH5Cs3qsuUA?si=EYckjdde2FWVRrur

The woman does like to talk a lot, after all, they are ‘African Champions’.
However, I do like the quiet confidence emanating from Randy Waldrum.
Like I have previously stated, Nigeria has a much better and balanced team now, in comparison to the past.
I am optimistic that we would carry the day across both legs.

Deltamani:
Is Desire Ellis' statements cause for concern for Nigeria? Are you confident in the Super Falcons Olympic chances?

Coach of the South African Female Football Team, Desiree Ellis, has revealed she expects the Banyana Banyana to take charge of the game against Nigeria with a good result in Abuja. The Super Falcons will host Banyana Banyana in the first leg at the Moshood Abiola Stadium, Abuja on Friday, April 5. The reverse fixture will be held at the Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria on Tuesday, April 9.

The winners of the tie will secure a spot at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Ellis says she is expecting a hostile environment in Abuja and will have her team prepared for it.

She (Elisha Sulola) and Edna Imade are in the same situation and are ready to go.

Deltamani:
It’s a matter of Coach giving her a Call Up… No Switch required as she hasn’t played for England at any of the age grade level..

Pretoria is even better, at ~ 4400 ft, which is close to the altitude in Jos.

naptu2:
That's why I said that I hope that the Super Falcons' medical team comes up with a solution.

I remember that the Super Eagles medical team had a similar advice when they played in Ethiopia or Kenya a few years ago. The Eagles did well in the first half but seemed to tire out in the second.

The match will be played in Pretoria.

You're right. However, the fact that the game is at night might be a benefit to Nigeria.
Also, there is the option of training in Jos 4000ft above sea level (compared to JoBurgh (5700ft) might help.

The trick with playing at high altitude is to play the game within 48 hrs of your arrival there., which somewhat mitigates the challenges of breathing at high altitude.

BTW, the SF played very well in Addis, which is at 7700ft.

naptu2:
It's not the weather, it's the altitude. The height/elevation means that there is less oxygen (some of those stadiums are on mountains and Desiree Ellis said [in the interview that Deltamani posted] that she specifically chose this stadium because of the altitude).

It's very hard to breathe when there's very little oxygen (imagine having to run in that condition) and she said she plans to capitalise on this in the early stages of the match.

The weather in SA shouldn't be too bad, I think. April is Autumn weather in JoBurg, with moderate temps. The advantage for us is that our ladies play overseas and are very used to the cooling weather, especially at night.
The challenge will be playing in the heat in Abuja.

naptu2:
That's one of my fears, the altitude. The NFF has never really prepared well for that. Stephen Keshi said that he was scared when the Eagles played in Johannesburg in 1993. He could barely breathe and it reminded him of Samuel Okwaraji's death.

The BBC interviewed Danny Shittu in 2010 and he also complained about the altitude in South Africa. England prepared their players by giving them sessions in a hyperbaric chamber and the BBC reporter asked why Nigeria did not do the same and Danny Shittu replied, "I don't know".

Ko Pari O!

Will take out Halimatu and bring in Abiodun.
More energy, best ball winner in our MF and better link up play with Echegini and was massive in her last 4 starts.
No way would I bench her for Halimatu at this point in time.

mostob:
Nnadozie

Nicole

Tony

Ohale

Ashleigh

Ucheibe

Ayinde

Onyi

Esther

Rinsola

Ajibade


O pari

Wouldn't start with Kanu - she is better coming in as a sub.

I would start with Babajide (on the left) - Okoronkwo - Ajibade (on the right)

Esther is very physical and she can soften up the SA CB's for Oshoala to reek havoc coming in as a sub.

We need to be extremely efficient and take our chances early. Okoronkwo has been able to do that successfully over several SF matches now.

Deltamani:
Picking the trio upfront that day, Maybe Ajibade, Oshoala and Kanu to start… With Babajide, Esther Okoronkwo and Monday Gift coming in to Change things up..

Onyi Echegini and Esther Okoronkwo have a great Chemistry and i would love them to go hand in hand.

Based on the videos of her playing in Japan, not particularly impressed with her speed (which has been a concern in the past).
She seems a tad heavier and slower now. Demehin is a huge loss for Nigeria, but what do you do? I lieu of Demehin, I would prefer a back 4 of Alozie - Ohale - Plumptre - N.Payne for the games against SA.

They have pacy wingers and we need FBs that can match them stride for stride. S.A.'s strength is in their wing play and if you can contain that with pacy FBs, that helps. And we also need quick and sharp CBs to handle the pace of Kgatlana.

We need a very active midfield, with CMs that are tireless workhorses. Between Ucheibe, Abiodun, Halimatu, T. Payne and Echegini, hopefully we can overwhelm them.

I fancy Nigeria's chances IF we are smart about the way we play them. Randy has been burnt and embarrassed twice by Desire Ellis, so this is very personal for him.

PDPGuy:
She will slot in perfectly in a 3-woman defense alongside Ohale and Demehin.
But for the SA matches, she will definitely partner Ohale in central defense

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xMMlbUd8Xng&t=114s


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJfPPv7Epmk


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

Deltamani:
Chidinma Okeke 23yrs (Fullback/Center Back)

A good time to be Back in the SuperFalcons, She very quick, Strength/Physicality, Aerial Presence and a very good balance defensively and Attacking wise..!

I’m very much aware of how the Knee injury at Madrid CFF affected her game.! Having Played in Israel and currently in Japan since her return from the injury it looks like she’s has gotten back to her top form!.

🤔
Waiting on Basco and DaveP to complete the process of chewing me out next
😄😄😉

Deltamani:
Looking at you with my 3D Camera 📷

Eiee!!
Na me talk am o!
Going off precedence and I believe I said I hoped I was wrong.
Nothing spoil - good luck to the young lass!

Deltamani:
Which one be you People, You nor know who and who talk am..!

Anyways Linda is one of my favorite Young goalie.

Darn! Hope she has a speedy recovery.
That means Nicole will need to step up for the SA match.
Let's pray our ladies are injury free.

Deltamani:
Michelle Alozie OUT is listed on the injury report with a knee issue… 😢

What station are yall watching this match on?

BascoVanVeli:
So close for Oshoala. Oh she's in the mood today

Sulola vs. Imade (both in the second half).
Sulola with assist for Valencia 4th goal, Imade with penalty win for Granada.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ae-2dPwbDOU

After watching the match finally, I think yall are being harsh.
Both Ghanaian goals were superb strikes, which would have been difficult for ANY U20 keeper to have stopped.
I cannot blame either Omilana nor Anderline for conceding those goals.

Give those young ladies a break. Omilana kept 3 clean sheets before the Ghana goal. I thought she did very well throughout the tournament. Obviously, both young ladies (Omilana and Anderline) have some ways to go before becoming World Class.
Yall need to cut them some slack!

Hope Nicole was invited, considering Tosin will likely be scratched due to injury

Deltamani:
Invitation have been sent across….💯

Oshoala's goal wins it for Bay FC.
She played a good game against a really good Angel City FC team.
Great start for her.

lovewins:
And Oshoala scores her first NWSL goal

Bay FC leads 1-0

Its amazing that Nigeria now has 5 ladies playing in the NWSL - Oshoala, Kanu, Onumonu, Alozie and Payne. Great!

On Payne, the highlights showed that she is still work in progress and hopefully, would only get better. She is still very young and has some upward mobility in terms of talent. Wishing her the best.
Hopefully, Kanu can build on her start and become a regular. She need that to stay relevant.

You had mentioned in another thread that Demehin will likely be out of the SA matches. That will be a big blow to us. Nonetheless, hopefully Randy can start looking actively at the lady at Nantes - Maureen Umeugochukwu. I'm sorry, but Akudo Ogbona has failed to impress. Far too many unforced errors at this level. For the SA game, Ucheibe may be asked to play the role she did when Demehin left the game against Cameroon. At least, that seems to be the role she plays at Benfica, so she has recency of experience in that position.

The less said about the Chawinga fellow, the better.

Deltamani:
Maybe Surprisingly as you have said…!
With what i saw her play last night, she’s really working hard. Her playing style have always been similar to that of Lucy Bronze. The NWSL definitely fits her style of play a lot considering how quick she’s. Recovery was top notch as she wasn’t beaten on any 1-v-1 and won all her foot race for the ball but still needs to get better going forward and delivering balls into the box.. Work in Progress! Hopefully she gets to start the next game.

But this Tenwa Chawinga is another ridiculously quick and physical forward, she came into the game for Kansas City and was involved(assisted) in their last two games. Her physique tells that she isn’t a Woman though!