Fabulous Falconets   

Falconets of Nigeria bows to home side Germany in the final of the Under-20 Women’s World Cup, but Nigerians are deeply appreciative

•Falconets Nku (left) tussles with a German player in the final.

In a summer in which Nigerian football offered precious little cause for celebration, prompting President Goodluck Jonathan to impose a two-year ban from international championships, nothing could have given Nigerians a hint that their U-20 female soccer team would go so far in the Federation of International Football Associations, FIFA, Women’s World Cup. One, the team’s preparations for the tournament left much to be desired. The attention of the nation’s soccer ruling body was on the Super Eagles which turned in a poor performance at the World Cup in South Africa, failing to emerge from its group. However, the Falconets’ performance exceeded all expectations. They became the first African female team to reach the final of any FIFA-organised tournament. Yet the girls would have been deprived the opportunity to showcase their talents had President Jonathan not reversed the two-year ban he imposed on all the national soccer teams.

The Falconets’ opening game against England which ended 1-1 showed their intentions at the competition. They could have scored a handful of goals had the pair of Ebere Orji and Amarachi Oparanozie been more lethal in front of goal. A 2-1 win over Japan was good for their confidence, and their last group match against Mexico, which ended 1-1, earned them a place in the quarterfinals against favourites, USA. The girls’ impressive performance right from the start of the competition placated Nigerian football fans still lamenting the poor showing of the Super Eagles in South Africa. Beating the defending champions and favourites, United States of America initially seemed an impossible task for the girls. This was because Nigeria never progressed beyond the quarterfinal stage in three previous editions of the competition. However, they put up a brilliant performance, coming from a goal down to take the game to penalty shoot-out. Sydney Leroux, United States highest goalscorer at the competition, missed her spot kick to gift the Nigerian girls their first shot at the semifinals. There, Colombia were brushed aside as the Falconets pipped them 1-0 to book a place in the final against home side, Germany.

The Germans had proved their mettle and class against all their opponents en route the final. They scored at will, while preventing other teams from doing the same. In Alexander Popp they had the highest goalscorer of the competition. Defenders simply could not live with the big striker. Germany were a delight to watch and their fans never stopped cheering their side. The final was both pulsating and exciting, as the two teams matched each other in every department. While the Nigerian girls tried to dominate the game by penetrating through the midfield, their opponents operated from the flanks, relying on long balls. In the eighth minute, their tactics paid off. The ball was hit long and high from the right-back position and Popp flicked it on to Dzsenifer Marozsan who cleverly gave Popp a return pass to score her tenth goal of the tournament.

The Falconets reacted immediately by raising their game, but the Germans would not give in. The Nigerians dominated the game but were let down by poor shooting. Germany went on to score their second goal in added time through an own goal. Despite losing to Germany in the final the team was applauded by football pundits and fans for coming second. President Goodluck Jonathan was particularly pleased by the robust display of the team in Germany. Their courage, determination, doggedness, stamina, skills and sense of national pride caught the President’s attention. Jonathan praised the team for wearing the national colours with self-belief, patriotism, discipline and a burning desire to achieve victory for Nigeria, and expressed that the nation expects this from all our sportsmen and women.

The team returned to a heroic welcome at the nation’s capital, Abuja and were received by First Lady, Patience Jonathan and other female dignitaries. Mrs Jonathan expressed utmost satisfaction at the feat achieved by the Falconets and gave scholarships up to university to the girls. Some of the outstanding performers in the team will be promoted to the senior female team, the Super Falconets. Josephine Anenih, Minister of Women Affairs, praised the girls for representing the country well in Germany. “It is an encouragement as they have positioned themselves as role models to other women. The girls were not popular before this championship, nobody believed that they could achieve this success,” she said.

—Seun Bisuga

Tags:  Falconets, Federation of International Football Associations, FIFA, President Goodluck, Sydney Leroux, Under-20 Women’s World Cup