General Secretary of Nigeria Football Federation, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, has called on football fans and enthusiasts within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and environs to be at the National Stadium, Abuja on Saturday to cheer the U-20 Women National Team, Falconets, in their World Cup qualifier against South Africa.
The Falconets take on South Africa’s Basetsana in a 2016 FIFA U-20 Women World Cup African final qualifying round match at the nation’s prime venue, starting from 3pm on Saturday.
“We are calling on our football fans to endeavour to be at the National Stadium to cheer our girls to victory. It is a very important match, and the young girls will be encouraged if they see a sizeable crowd of spectators at the stadium.
“The Falconets have always done the country proud. They have always qualified for their version of the World Cup and they need the moral motivation of football fans and enthusiasts in their home matches,” Sanusi said.
The Falconets dismissed the U-20 girls of Liberia 14-1 on aggregate in the firs round and then spanked their counterparts from the Democratic Republic of Congo 4-1 on aggregate in the second round, to reach this stage.
The South African delegation, led by Mr. Ndlelo, and with Head Coach Elizabeth Migchelsen and assistant coaches Sheryl Botes, Maud Khumalo and Cameron Cox, arrived in Abuja on Thursday aboard an Emirates Airline flight from Dubai.
Notable among the 20 players on the delegation are Thato Letsoso, Mosili Makhoali, Thembi Kgatlana, Amanda Mthandi and Linda Motlhalo.
Nigeria’s Falconets emerged runners-up at the last FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Canada in 2014, and were also runners-up in Germany in 2010.
In their second round fixture, the Basetsana were held 0-0 in Zambia but edged the hard –fighting Zambians 3-2 at the Makhulong Stadium in Tembisa in the return leg.
Ghana’s Black Princesses will clash with Ethiopia’s U-20 girls in Addis Ababa on Sunday in the other fixture, with the two winners from both fixtures qualifying for the 2016 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Papua New Guinea.
