Cyprus Cup: Super Falcons Round Off With Sweet Win

EKENKWO CHIEDOZIE MACDONALD

The Super Falcons have ended their participation in the Cyprus Women’s Cup with a commanding 3-0 win over Thailand – one of the 24 countries that will take part in this summer’s FIFA Women’s World Cup finals.

Forward Asisat Oshoala scored her second goal of the tournament in the 23^rd minute to open the floodgate, before defender Onome Ebi made it two for Nigeria five minutes later. Anam Imo, who also scored Nigeria’s winning goal in the 4-3 defeat of Slovakia on Friday last week, got Nigeria’s third in the 74^th minute to seal the victory.

The Falcons had edged Slovakia in an interesting encounter on Friday, with goals from Rita Chikwelu (who made a brace), Osinachi Ohale and Imo. On Monday, the nine –time African champions lost 0-1 to Belgium.

Nigeria had opened her campaign in the annual tournament with a 1-4 loss to Austria, but Coach Thomas Dennerby said he was happy with the team’s output in the remaining games as the Falcons continued their preparations for another World Cup appearance.

“We lost to Austria but we recovered well against Slovakia, and if we had put away the chances we had after scoring our third goal, there would have been no way for them to equalize. A good thing that we won in the end.

“I am happy that we were able to come here and participate in this tournament. The lessons are good for the team, just like we also learnt a lot at the tournament in China.”

At the China Tournament, the Falcons lost 0-3 to China’s Steel Roses but then lashed Romania 4-1 in their second and final game in Meizhou.

The Nigeria Football Federation and Coach Dennerby are presently studying a number of invitations from some other countries qualified for the FIFA Women’s World Cup in France, with a view to deciding which teams the Falcons should still confront before the finals.

The 8^th FIFA Women’s World Cup finals will take place in France, 7^th June – 7^thJuly 2019.