Nigeria’s Rofiat Mustapha and Esther Mbah lost to Mozambique Muianga and Sinaportar 0-2 (9-21, 13-21) in the third place match on Monday.

Despite losing the third place match, coach of Nigeria beach volleyball team, Kayode Ajilore commended the resilient spirit of the girls.

Ajilore said the initial plan of Team Nigeria was to enter into the finals but returning home without a medal is painful.

He said, “I am happy with the fighting spirit of Esther Mbah and Rafiat Mustapha throughout the championship; they performed above my expectations.

“Before departing the country, our benchmark was to reach the finals in either the men’s or women’s team. Returning home without a medal is painful but I must commend the girls for giving their opponents good fights in the semifinals and third place match.

“This is the first time Rafiat Mustapha and Esther Mbah will be pairing in an African Championship and I am optimistic they will win laurels for the country in subsequent championship”, he added.

Eulogizing the Super Falcons team Hon. Dare said, “your resilience, character, and management of the game must be commended. I salute your doggedness, commitment and fighting spirit. For holding the Moroccans in front of over 45,000 capacity crowd you have once again displayed the never say die attitude of true Nigerians.

“Even when down to nine players after those red cards, you held your own. You are our champions. Nigeria is proud of you.”

“It was a match I followed very keenly and I am so proud you displayed the Nigerian spirit. I am proud of this team, even in defeat”.

The nine times champions bowed out gallantly with pride, losing 4-5 on penalties to hosts Morocco, after playing majority of the game with nine players as midfielder Halimatu Ayinde and striker Rasheedat Ajibade were given the marching order for dangerous play.

The Super Falcons will square up with the She-polopolo of Zambia on Friday, July 22nd in the third place match of the tournament.

Ever-present Nigeria believe they will celebrate another FIFA Women’s World Cup ticket on Thursday night after a quarter-final clash with neighbours Cameroon in Casablanca that will determine who is guaranteed a place in Australia & New Zealand next year.

All four teams that make the semi finals at the ongoing continental championship in Morocco would have picked automatic tickets for the Women’s World Cup, with the team adjudged to have finished fifth presented with another chance for a shot at a Playoff Tournament next year.

Cameroon will come into Thursday’s encounter with the mentality of the yam pounder, knowing they have always been second best to Nigeria at this level, and a third consecutive appearance at the FIFA World Cup will certainly appeal to the Indomitable Lionesses.

A 1-2 defeat at the hands of South Africa’s Banyana Banyana in their opening match of Group C last week Monday somewhat dimmed the shine of the Super Falcons, but they rose stoutly to the occasion and won their other two matches with six points and six goals advantage shooting them to the last eight.

Cameroon also started somewhat slowly, drawing with Zambia, but they picked up impressively and their reward is what is actually the most anticipated quarter-final tie at this tournament.

Both countries flew Africa’s flag at the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup finals in Canada and at the last edition in France three years ago, but Nigeria are the untouchables, being one of only six countries on the planet to have participated in all eight editions of the quadrennial global showpiece.

“We are ready to face Cameroon,” said Nigeria coach Randy Waldrum, after his Super Falcons arrived in Morocco’s commercial and economic capital, Casablanca on Monday ahead of Thursday’s encounter.

Cameroon suffered a 6-0 spanking from the Falcons in the semi finals of the 1998 Women Africa Cup of Nations (which Nigeria hosted and which was the first edition) but things have improved a bit for the Lionesses since then. In the semi finals of the 2010 edition in South Africa, they were thumped 5-1 by the Falcons.

Both countries contested the Final matches of the 2014 and 2016 Women AFCON. In 2014 in Windhoek, Namibia, the Falcons ran away 2-0 winners to lift the trophy for the seventh time. In 2016 in Yaounde, the Lionesses suffered a heartbreak in front of their cheering fans when Desire Oparanozie scored a late goal to hand the trophy to Nigeria for the eighth time.

Four years ago, in Accra, both teams also met in the semi final stage. It was a tough duel that ended 0-0 after regulation and extra time, but the Falcons again prevailed 4-2 after penalty shoot-out on the way to their ninth title.

Thursday’s spectacle in Casablanca is expected to be explosive, but Nigeria captain Onome Ebi says the Falcons are up for the challenge.

“Of course, we know what to expect. The Cameroonians also want to go to the World Cup. But we have never missed the World Cup and we won’t start now. Our eyes are fully focused on Australia & New Zealand, and then we can start talking about the trophy.”

Forwards Rasheedat Ajibade and Uchenna Kanu, on two goals each, are expected to start against Cameroon, with Coach Waldrum also expected to keep faith with most of the crew that decimated Burundi in Rabat on Sunday night.

Nigeria Pillar of Sports Chief Donatus Agu Ejidike has charged the Super Falcons of Nigeria to sustain their greatness as Africa Women soccer giant even as they seek more glorious outing in the AWCON 2022 championship in Morocco.

Chief Ejidike who described the prowess of the Super Falcons in Africa as an invincible leadership said the Nigeria Football followers have great Hopes in them to make the country proud.

The Pillar of sports in a statement released on Thursday and made available to newsmen expressed joy over the preparation ahead of the championship and praised the Nigeria Football Federation for the encouragement given the the Ladies ahead of the games.

Chief Ejidike admonished them not to be complacent as no country is a push over in global Football of nowadays.

He particularly commended the discipline and commitment by the Technical crew and players in the build up to the championship and charged them to keep their heads high as Africa number in women Football.

Nigeria Super Falcons will lock horns with other African counterparts as the AWCON championship kicks off in Rabark Morocco.

Titled ‘Beauty And Brains’, is an afro fusion highlife and was produced by Dr. Bigmoney Beats who is with Afro Jam records.

Vera Chukwu is a Nigerian Singer and songwriter. Born in Edo State and currently resides in Lagos State Nigeria.

She hails from Enugu State. With an Igbo Dad and Edo mother.

The songwriter, when asked for the reason behind ‘Beauty and Brains, she said: “Coming from this part of the World, our women are often times looked at just being beautiful, which is not true.”

Over the past few years, the Super Falcons have been successful with 9 African titles and have made it to every World Cup since it’s inception.

“It is beyond our ladies being beautiful, but they show it on the pitch hence the brain aspect, they have got skills, finesse and strength, I want to use this song to spur them towards getting the La Decima,” Vera said.

It will be recalled Vera Chukwu in 2019, did a song for the Super Eagles “Helelema” ahead of the Nations Cup in Egypt which gained global acceptance.

The Super Falcons are already in Morroco and will begin their campaign against South Africa’s Banyana Banyana in Rabat on Monday, 4th July.

The Falcons will also play Botswana (Thursday, 7th July) and Burundi (Sunday, 10th July) in the group phase.

Click the below link to listen and download

Victor Osimhen, who also scored the winner against Sierra Leone in Abuja on Thursday, scored four of the goals, starting his account with a powerful header that goalkeeper Anastacio Braganca could not just stop in the 9^th minute. As early as the second minute, Osimhen, always fully charged, had flicked the ball with his head from a Zaidu Sanusi pull-out, but there was no Eagle to connect.

In the 19^th minute, Terem Moffi’s shot was saved by Braganca as Nigeria dominated easily and with much efficiency, and four minutes later, a good Osimhen header from Ademola Lookman’s corner was again saved by Braganca.

In the 28^th minute, defender Ola Aina’s pull-out found Osihmen, who laid for Moses Simon to tap beyond the flailing hands of Braganca for Nigeria’s second. Four minutes later, Sao Tome and Principe had their first shot at Francis Uzoho’s goal, but Luis Leal’s effort went off target.

Moffi wasted two excellent opportunities to take Nigeria higher on the scoreline, in the 36^th amd 40^th minute, but did just that in the 43^rd minute when he beat two defenders to slam into the net from a great Osimhen pass.

In the secong half, it was all Nigeria. Osimhen’s firm header from pull-out by Lookman in the 48^th minute went in for the fourth goal, and seven minutes later, Oghenekaro Etebo fired his 20 –yard free-kick into the underside of the bar and into the net for Nigeria’s fifth. Osimhen thought he had scored a sixth for Nigeria in the 57^th minute, but it was ruled off-side.

On the hour mark, substitute Ahmed Musa, only two minutes on the pitch, found an onrushing Sanusi whose cross found Terem Moffi well-placed to slam the ball into the net for Nigeria’s sixth. It was Moffi’s first goal for the Super Eagles.

Three minutes later, there was another first. Ademola Lookman found the roof of the net after another Musa pass found Moffi and he chipped over onrushing goalie Braganca. It was Lookman’s first goal for Nigeria.

Osimhen, ever too much to handle, got his hat-trick in the 65^th minute when laid on by a sweet Ahmed Musa pass, and in the 84^th minute, another brilliant Musa pass found Osimhen in the right place to score his fourth and Nigeria’s ninth.

Substitute Emmanuel Dennis won and converted a penalty kick on the dot of 90 minutes to round up a goal-spangled afternoon for Nigeria in Morocco’s southern coastal city.

The Super Eagles’ next games in the qualification are against Guinea-Bissau home and away in September.  

Photo Credits: Victor Modo

Nigeria women’s team is through to the quarterfinals of the Tokyo Beach Volleyball Qualifiers in Agadir, Morocco.

Nigeria will face The Gambia today in one of the quarterfinals in its bid to qualify for the Tokyo Olympic next month.

Nigeria face Cape Verde in a great Pool B showdown; both side enforced power, technique and skills but it was Nigeria who steal the show in the golden match after a hard fourth 2-1 win.

The final phase of the CAVB Continental Cup for women will includes Morocco, Mozambique, Egypt, Rwanda, Kenya, The Gambia, Nigeria and Cape Verde.

Meanwhile, Nigeria men’s team has crashed out of the beach volleyball qualifiers despite beating Mali 2-1 in the third Pool B match.

In pool B Kenya set a ground breaking victory over Mozambique in one of the competition’s best face offs which extended to a golden match after Mozambique won the first match 2-1 before Kenya neutralised winning 2-0, then they won the tiebreaker 2-1. Kenya and Mozambique qualified, while giants Nigeria were eliminated.

The top eight line up confirmed at the Men’s Continental cup after Morocco, Tunisia, Kenya, Mozambique, Ghana, Egypt, Gambia and Rwanda made it to the single elimination chart after they finished on top 2 position in each of the four preliminary pools.

As the five time U17 World cup champions, Golden eaglets of Nigeria prepare to battle other African countries for the U17 AFCON title and a place at the global cadet championship later in the year.

The attention of the entire country will be on the young, promising and bright prospects assembled by Coach Fatai Amoo.

Kogi born Benjamin Mustapha who was part of the Fatai Amoo led team that executed the WAFU B tournament in Lome, Togo has made the final list to Morocco.

The young promising prospect from Igalaland, eastern senatorial zone of Kogi state, a product of the popular Kamar Football Academy, Idah will be on the plane with other future Nigerian stars to the North African nation aiming to rewrite Nigeria’s name in the history books of football.

The U17 AFCON slated for Morocco will take centre stage between 13th to 31st March and the five time world champions will kick start their campaign against Tanzania.

As the forthcoming Africa U-17 Cup of Nations begins in Morocco later this month, top football scouts across African continent are finding it difficult to be given accreditation in order to carry out scouting responsibilities as directed by their various employers; in this case, Football clubs.

Reliably, renowned football scouts in Africa who contacted the Head of DGS office for Football and Development of CAF, SAMIRA OUNAS in a bid to officially apply for the tournament’s accreditation were shocked when she expressly told them Confederation of Africa, CAF would not permit their ilks but preference will be given to European football scouts.

According to ‘’on the record’’ sources; SAMIRA OUNAS have the gumption to ridicule two of the African scouts who are nationals of Senegal and Benin republic respectively.

‘’I humbly placed a call to her regarding CAF’s accreditation for interested football scouts and she openly said, we are not making arrangements for anyone coming from Africa except those outside this continent.

“I even tried to know the rationale behind such an irresponsible decision but she rudely hung up the call along the lines and never picked thereafter’’. Diouf Diara recounted disappointedly.

Also sharing his disappointing experience with the DGS office for Football and Development of CAF was Saliu Mohammed, who bemoaned the unprofessional attitude of SAMIRA OUNAS while describing as unfit to have headed such a vital position in CAF.

‘’From the stead of a club scout, I engaged her on phone in respect to getting accreditation for the Under 17 tournaments in Morocco; she overtly and repeatedly told me African scouts are not going to be allowed to be part of this edition of CAF U-17 Championship and implicitly said, her office would only entertain European football scouts.

‘’What is more insanely annoying was her chutzpah to say African scouts and football agents are barred from discharging their duties when the event kicks off 13th of March, 2021 but considered giving European scouts accreditation in an African football tourney’’ he lamentedly explained.

As a reputable media organization, we gathered Egyptian- SAMIRA OUNAS, has rich curriculum vitae; having worked at different international organizations.

This is a lady who studied Taxation, Commerce and International Law in France; however, her terrible idiosyncrasy while dealing with the issue of diplomacy, makes one question the racistic resolve by not allowing African scouts and football agents to be accredited for the African under 17 Nations Cup in Morocco, except European scouts.

What is more disgusting and saddening about her decision to irresponsibly restrict African scouts and Football Agents is that, the same Confederation of Africa Football (CAF), accredited a huge number of African scouts at the just concluded CAF Under 20 African Cup of Nations in Mauritania.

Cameroon humbled Nigeria in front of home fans in straight sets 3-0 (28-26, 25-21, 25-21) at the indoor sport hall of the MKO Abiola Stadium at the ongoing 2021 U18 Girls African Nations Volleyball Championship in Abuja on Friday.

Nigeria fought hard in the first set of the game but could not overcome the hungry Cameroonians losing narrowly by 26-28.

In the second set, Nigeria started on the front foot by 19-14 points with sponteanous attacks but the Central Africans fought back to upset their hosts to claim 25-21 points at the end of the stage.

Cameroon continued their fine form and made it tough for the West Africans with a 16-8 lead. Now the Nigerians looked rattled as they struggled to cope against their visitors, who eventually snatched a 25-21 third set win.

Head Coach of Cameroon U18 Girls Volleyball team, Emile Tongtong said his team were more technically sound that the Nigerian girls.

While lauding his girls, Tongtong said he wanted to avenge the boys who lost to Nigeria boys the previous day.

“Nigeria is a good and young side but my team is more technically sound. My players have been playing together for a long time and we know how to overcome pressure,” he said.

“I told my girls that we have to beat Nigeria in order to avenge our boys team and I am happy the girls made me proud”.

Meanwhile, Gambia overpowered Morocco 3-2 (25-15, 25-27, 25-21, 20-25, 16-14) in the U19 Boys 2021 African Nations Volleyball Championship in Abuja.

Day 3 Fixtures:

Cameroon v Morocco (3pm) U19 Boys

Gambia v Nigeria (5pm) U19 Boys

Cameroon v Ghana (7pm) U18 Girls