The Super Falcons of Nigeria have begun arriving in Angers, France, ahead of their highly anticipated international friendly against Les Bleues on Saturday.
This marks the second meeting between the two teams in a friendly match. Their first encounter on April 6, 2018, ended in a disappointing 8-0 defeat for the Falcons at Stade Marie-Marvingt in Le Mans. The loss, marked by a hat-trick from Valérie Gauvin and an own goal by Faith Ikidi-Michael, remains one of the heaviest in the Falcons’ history, equalling defeats to Norway at the 1995 FIFA World Cup and Germany in a 2010 friendly.
From that 2018 squad, only goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie, currently playing in France, and Mexico-based defender Osinachi Ohale, are part of the current team. Despite the previous setback, the Falcons are determined to put up a stronger performance this time.
The Super Falcons have shown closer competition with Les Bleues in past FIFA World Cup encounters. In 2011, they lost by a narrow margin in Germany and repeated the same result in their 2019 clash at Roazhon Park during the World Cup in France.
Saturday’s match highlights the commitment of the Ibrahim Musa Gusau-led Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to rejuvenate the Super Falcons by providing exposure and experience for a new generation of players. This follows their subpar performance at the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament in France earlier this year.
The fixture comes shortly after two recent friendly victories over Algeria’s Green Ladies (2-0 and 4-1) in Nigeria. It also follows the announcement that the Falcons will face Tunisia, Algeria, and Botswana in the group stage of the 13th Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco next summer.
Kickoff for Saturday’s match is scheduled for 9:30 p.m. local time, the same as in Nigeria, offering fans an exciting opportunity to witness the Falcons’ progress on an international stage.
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