Cameroon antics won't stop Falcons title chase-Nwabuoku

 

By Rasaq Oboirien

EVELYN Nwabuoku says all form of antics by AWCON 2016 host, Cameroon towards Nigeria won't deter Super Falcons from retaining the trophy in Saturday's final in Yaoundé. 

The Falcons captain who didn't make the trip to the 11th edition of the female version of the AFCON owing to injury in a tweet shared on her Twitter handle informed: "Their antics can't stop us,it'd only spur us to strive harder.We are African Champions, we know who we are! #Thecupisours 💪💪."

Rita Chikwelu took the team's skipper arm band owing to her experience with the senior national team.

Recall the Florence Omagbemi lead Falcons escaped death by whiskers at the Doula Airport after the aircraft they boarded for Yaoundé failed to fly on Wednesday.

Smoke was said to be coming out from one of the engines of the plane as the Falcons and other passengers in it all disembarked from the aircraft.

The team then travelled in batches by flight and road.

Nigeria has got the upper hand against Cameroon whom they have beaten twice in the final. 

Saturday' game will be epic for both countries and Florence Omagbemi who could become the first player turn coach to win the AWCON trophy.

Oparanozie's winning strike against Banyana fantastic-Ellis

 

By Our Reporter

BANYANA Banyana Head Coach, Desiree Ellis has described Desire Oparanozie's lighting bolt strike as fantastic, reports NaijaSportsXtra.blogspot.com.

The Falcons and Guingamp of France ace sent Nigeria to yet another Africa Women Cup of Nations final with a 54th sublime goal from a free-kick.

Ellis in a post-match chat with CAF said: "Our plan worked for most of the time. We stifled Nigeria and it took a moment of madness, I’m not sure whether it was a free-kick or not, and what a fantastic strike by Desire Oparanozie. 

"We had our chances and once again not converting them. We had a few chances and we dominated most of the time. Goals win games and unfortunately we did not score.  I think South Africans can be proud of Banyana Baynana. We came and we fought hard."

The South Africans will lock horns against Ghana for the bronze medal.

For a delighted 

Florence Omagbemi who could become the first player turn coach to win the AWCON title didn't hide her verdict about the South African women team.

"I commend South Africa for giving us a good game. We knew we were playing the semi-final and our goal was to win. 

"In football, sometimes you are not impressed with the performance of your team, but at the end of the day you want to win. Today was not one of our best games and even the players can testify to that, but at the end we won and that was what we came here to do. 

"It is not easy to win a game like this with such a performance so I give my players the credit. 

"It was a different approach from first half to second half. The players carried the game too much and psychologically some of them were overwhelmed. In the second half, we asked them to relax and play simple. It will prepare us for the final against Cameroon and we will try to make some adjustments."