Nigeria Content Online

Hoping
for a flawless run towards regaining the Africa title they relinquished
last time out, the Super Falcons will today try to consolidate on their
fine form at the ongoing Africa Women’s Championships in South Africa
when they confront the Twiga Stars of Tanzania in their last group game.

The match is billed
for the Makhulong Stadium and kick-off time is 2.30pm (local time)
While the Nigerian ladies have a semi-final ticket already in their
hands all thanks to the two victories recorded in their previous games,
the Twiga Stars only have a return ticket home after failing to get any
point from their last two matches.

Though this is a
debut appearance for the Twigs, many had expected a better performance
from the team which had embarked on a two week “intensive” training in
the United States before heading to South Africa for the biannual women
championships.

With a place
already secured in the semi final, Nigeria’s coach, Eucharia Uche, is
expected to try out some of the untested legs in the Super Falcons team
which many has described as a fine blend of youthfulness and experience.

The coach, who has continually said that her goal is to win the trophy back for Nigeria, said the team is on course.

“We will take it
easy against Tanzania, but the three points will be for us, I remain
confident in my team and their ability to win here in South Africa,”
Uche said.

A victory for
Nigeria will see her topping Group A. That will mean a tie with the
runners-up in Group B which has the likes of Ghana, Cameroun and
Equatorial Guinea; all seeking qualification from the group regarded as
the group of death.

Perpetua target

Meanwhile, Super
Falcons prolific striker, Perpetua Nkwocha is expected to continue her
chase for a record 15 goals at the championship.

Nkwocha had told reporters in Johannesburg that the 15-goal mark was set for her by friends.

“My friends told me before I came for the tournament that I have to score 15 goals,” said the Sweden-based player.

She admitted that she will work hard to meet the target as she was determined not to disappoint her friends.

“I have started it in our first game so I believe I can continue. I believe I will do it again, that is my prayer,” she said.

“Let’s see what will happen at the end of the day but I believe I can do it.”

Nwokocha is
currently leading the goal scorers chart with five goals after scoring
the two goals for the Falcons in their last match against South Africa
and needs to score ten more to meet her set target.

On her own part,
captain of the Super Falcons, Precious Dede, has also maintained that
no team in the ongoing African Women’s Championship (AWC) can stop her
team from winning the competition.

“I believe we are
on our way to the final of the competition and no team can stop us from
winning this trophy this time. Neither Cameroun nor Ghana can stop us.

I am not boasting
but we believe in ourselves that we can emerge the African champions
again with this victory over Banyana Banyana on their back yard,” Dede
said.

Other match

In the other match of the day, host South Africa will be up against Mali in a game with higher stakes.

While the South
Africans have their hearts in their mouth, Mali go into today’s match
in high spirits after defeating minnows Tanzania 3-2 in their last
Group A match.

Banyana Banyana
coach, Augustine Makalakalane, is aware that his girls must avoid
defeat if they hope to progress in the championships.

According to
Makalakalane, the performance against Nigeria in the last match was not
too bad while hoping for a better display today.

“The Banyana
Banyana girls did not disgrace themselves or their country against
Nigeria and I am so very proud of the determination and commitment that
they showed on the field,” said Makalakalane.

“These Banyana
Banyana players can go far in football based on their approach to the
game and I know they will take the positive aspects out of today’s
(Thursday) performance and look to get the all-important win when the
team plays against Mali on Sunday.”

For South Africa Striker, Noko Matlou, her team will be going all out from the blast of the whistle to get the desired result.

“We are going for the kill against Mali; we cannot afford to disappoint the country.

We are the hosts and we must win this tournament,” she said.

The top two teams out of the two groups of four teams each will
progress to the semi-final stage – with the prize awaiting the
finalists being the chance to represent Africa at the 2011 FIFA women’s
World Cup in Germany next year.