13th September, 2017
Edo Government on Wednesday in Benin challenged the Falconets to ensure they do not fail to beat their Tanzanian opponents in the 2018 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup Qualifiers on Saturday.
Gov. Godwin Obaseki gave the challenge when he officially received the Nigerian team ahead of the first leg match slated for the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin.
Represented by the state’s Commissioner for Youths and Special Duties, Mika Amanokhai, Obaseki urged both players and officials of the team to see Edo as their state.
“You should, therefore, go for total victory against the Tanzanians on Saturday,’’ he said.
The governor said Edo state was elated to play host to such an important match and restated his government’s resolve to place sports in the front burner of its plans.
“We are indeed elated to receive you and want to urge you to see yourselves as part of us. Please feel very comfortable during your stay here.
“Benin is a ground for all Nigerian national teams to use in beating all their opponents, and we are thus challenging you to go all out to secure victory for Nigerians.
“On Saturday, we expect nothing but victory. You must be at your optimum best to defeat your opponents,” he stated.
Responding, the captain of the team, Oluwakemi Famiditi, assured that nothing would be left to chance to emerge victorious on Saturday.
The player said the warm reception accorded her team since their arrival was a morale-booster which would spur them to victory.
“We want to assure you and the entire country that on Saturday we will not disappoint. We will beat our opponents to go on to secure qualification for France 2018,” she stated.
The Nigerian under-20 women football team had a light training session at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium on Wednesday.
The team had arrived in Benin around 9 p.m. on Tuesday, after more than 12 hours on the road from Abuja.
The Tanzanian delegation was expected to arrive in Abuja on Thursday and proceed to Benin same day.
The second leg match of the qualifying fixture will take place in Dar es Salaam on Sept. 30, with the winners on aggregate tackling the winners of the Morocco/Senegal fixture.
The fixture is in the second and final round of the qualifiers and it will come up in November.
The 9th FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup will be staged in four cities in France from Aug. 7 to Aug. 26.