Nigeria Content Online

After mauling Mali 5-0 in their opening match of the ongoing
Africa Women’s Championship, Nigeria’s Super Falcons will today take on hosts,
South Africa.

The match is billed for the Sinaba Stadium, Daveyton, near
Johannesburg with Kick-off fixed for 10am (local time).

Already both teams have been talking tough ahead of the testy
encounter, which guarantees either of the teams that emerge victorious today a
semi final ticket.

Despite losing out in all her previous encounters with the Super
Falcons, Augustine Makalakane, coach of the South Africa ladies says there is
nothing to fear this time around in the Nigerian team.

“Banyana Banyana hold no fears as far as playing Nigeria is
concerned. The match has the potential of being one of the highlights of the
tournament and we want to make our supporters proud,” he said.

Not intimated

While the South African ladies will no doubt enjoy the support
of their home crowd, with vuvuzelas blaring from the blast of the whistle,
Super Falcons coach, Eucharia Uche says her team cannot be intimidated.

“We have always played South Africa and each time we hear the
same thing. But they cannot intimidate us,” she said.

“This is a match like every other match for us and there is no
room for complacency. We came here prepared to win the trophy and we are taking
every match as it comes.

I know that we will not drop any point.

The Super Falcons coach said the mistakes of the last edition in
Equatorial Guinea have been corrected and the team is now ready to win a third
women’s title on the South African soil.

“We did not play well at the 2008 CAN. We have renewed our team
and we have worked hard with younger players. In this team, there are only four
players that took part in the last CAN. Our girls are ready to confront any
team in this competition,” she said.

Perpetua target

Super Falcons prolific striker, Perpetua Nkwocha, yesterday said
she hoped to score 15 goals at the championship.

Speaking after she bagged a hat-trick in Monday’s tie against
Mali, Nkwocha 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.

She described her three goals against the Malians as a warning
to the South Africans.

“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,”
she added.