The President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau, has reacted to the Falconets’ loss to Ghana at the All African Games women’s football final.
Recall that Loveth Edeh gave the Falconets the lead in the twenty-fourth minute of the hotly contested match between the two rivals, but Tracy Twum tied the score for Ghana on the 78th.
However, Mukarama Abdullai got the winner for the hosts in the 99th minute of extra time, thus ending Nigeria’s reign as champions in the women’s football event of the African Games.
While reacting to the team’s defeat, Gusau said that the Falconets showed good skills and teamwork in the final, but their best was not good enough to retain the gold medal.
He, however, added that moving forward, the onus is now on the Falconets and the coaches of the team to focus on the FIFA World Cup finals coming up later this year.
Gusau said; “You played well and showed good skills and teamwork all the way to the final, but your best was not good enough to retain the gold medal. There is no need, and there will never be any gain in crying over spilt milk. The onus is now on you and the coaches to focus on the FIFA World Cup finals coming up later this year.
“In truth, the NFF and Nigerians expected you to retain the gold medal, having scored eight goals and conceded none until the final match. That is gone now, and the World Cup beckons. Your collective objective should be to win the World Cup trophy for the first time. The NFF will give you all the support you need to adequately prepare and face the world’s best in Colombia.”
“Our girls have been in the final of the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup on two occasions,” he told thenff. “In 2010 and 2014, though they lost on both occasions to Germany, they were in the semi-finals in Japan in 2012, and at the last edition in Costa Rica, they reached the quarter-finals.
“There has been some consistency in our performance over the years, and it is time to take the step up and claim the title. That can only be done through hard work, focus, and self-belief. The hard work must start right now,” he noted with emphasis.
The Falconets will now concentrate their efforts on competing in the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Colombia, which is set to begin on August 31 and end on September 22.
