FIFA WWC: Falcons’ Coach vows to ‘prepare hard and take our chances’

Super Falcons’ Head Coach, Thomas Dennerby, says Nigeria will work to prepare hard and take it one match at a time at the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup finals in France.
The African champions were on Saturday evening drawn with hosts France, Norway and Korea Republic in Group A of the 24-team competition.
The draw was held at a colourful ceremony inside the La Seine Musicale on the River Seine in Paris.
“There is no easy group here. I am okay with the draw because I always knew that we will have to play (against) the best teams. That is what you do at the World Cup.
 
“The French team is, of course, world-class, and I know we would have to fight very hard against them.
 
“The Koreans are very technical and have pace, but we will confront them with our physical strength, ability and pace of our own and we have a great chance in there.
 
“I know the Norway team, more than they know us or can hope to know us. At the end of the day, it would come down to preparations.
 
“We must prepare very hard and then take it one match at a time during the finals,” the Swede said at the mixed zone which followed the draw ceremony on Saturday.
 
“If you have to make real impact at the FIFA World Cup, you have to beat the strong teams. That is what we have to prepare for.
 
“I am looking ahead to an interesting tournament in France in the summer of next year,” Dennerby added.
 
Also, President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Amaju Pinnick, said: “It is a draw that tells us that we have to do everything we can to prepare the team well for the competition.
 
“Presently, we have lined up two tournaments in China and Cyprus for the team, and we are talking with a few countries and organisers for matches and tournaments.
 
“We will give the Head Coach and his team the necessary support to prepare the team adequately for the competition.”
 
Speaking also, former Super Falcons’ star Mercy Akide-Udoh, who attended the ceremony as a FIFA Ambassador for Women’s Football, said it was all up to the NFF.
 
“This is a tough one for us. But I think the Federation should do everything to ensure adequate preparation of the team.”
 
The 8th FIFA Women’s World Cup finals will take place in nine French cities between June 7 and July 7.
 
Nigeria’s first match of the finals will be against Norway in Reims on June 8, before they face Korea Republic in Grenoble on June 12.
 
Their last match of the group phase is against hosts France in Rennes on June 17.
 
The opening match of the tournament is between France and Korea Republic, and will hold at the Parc des Princes in Paris on 7th June 2019.
The draw was conducted by FIFA Legends Alex Scott and Louis Saha.
A dazzling line-up of assistants, including Didier Deschamps, Marie Bochet, Kaká, Cindy Cone, Michael Essien, Aya Miyama and Steffi Jones, lent a helping hand in the draw.