The U-20 Women National Team, nicknamed Falconets, has intensified training programme in Abuja ahead of this weekend’s 2014 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup qualifying match against their counterparts from Sierra Leone.
Earlier scheduled to play the U-20 Women’s Team of Burkina Faso, the Falconets now have Sierra Leone on their plate following the withdrawal of the Burkinabes from the qualifying race.
It would be recalled that the Sierra Leonean girls were to play the Falconets in the first round of the race to the 2012 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Japan, but withdrew. The Nigerian girls then vented their spleen on Zimbabwe and Democratic Republic of Congo girls to
emphatically seal a place in Japan, there they reached the semi finals.
New Head Coach, Peter Dedevbo, has been taking 30 players through their paces in Abuja for the past two weeks and said on Monday:
“Surely, we are ready for the Sierra Leoneans. I have the girls to do the job and I can assure Nigerians that we will make the nation proud.”
Nigeria’s pedigree in the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup include a runner-up position at the 2010 finals in Germany, plus a semi final place in Japan last year and quarter final berths in 2004, 2006 and 2008.
The Confederation of African Football has appointed Ross Leopoldina Dayves from Guinea Bissau as Referee for Saturday’s match at the National Stadium, Abuja, with her compatriots Biague Deolinda Amancio and Mariza Antonio Gomes as Assistant Referees 1 and 2 respectively. Fadouma Dia from Senegal will be Reserve Referee while Helena Williams
from Ghana will serve as Match Commissioner.
Next year’s FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup finals will be staged by Canada between 5th– 25th August.
