Football
Barely two weeks to the kick-off of the 5th FIFA U17 Women's World
Cup finals in Jordan, Coach Bala Nikyu has again assured that the Nigeria U17
girls, known as Flamingoes, will be ready for the challenge on the biggest
stage.
The Kaduna State –born tactician who took charge of the team at
the 2014 FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup in Costa Rica, where the Nigerian girls
reached the quarter finals, said there has been remarkable improvement in the
squad that he led through four wins out of four matches in the African
qualifying series and which had been in camp in Abuja since the end of July
2016.
In a chat with thenff.com, Nikyu noted: "There has been
remarkable improvement in my players since they resumed camp in July and now. I
am happy to say they have been adhering to instructions during training
sessions; they are much fitter now and are playing more cohesively. The
mistakes that we noted when we started the camp have been largely
corrected."
Nikyu also said that the series of friendly games played so far
have helped him in assessing his team. The Flamingoes have played six test
games since resuming camp, winning five and drawing one. Their last game was
against Yaba Stars F.C of Abuja on Sunday, 11th September. In that game, the
Flamingoes came from 2-1 down to defeat the boys’ team 3-2 at the FIFA Goal
Project Pitch, Abuja.
Apart from the training sessions and friendly games, the team has
also benefitted from classroom lectures by FIFA Referees Instructor, Mr. Sunday
Okayi (of the NFF Competitions Department), on the latest FIFA Rules and
Regulations, the laws of the game involving referees and players and also
players’ conduct while on the field of play. There have also been psychology
classes by Dr. Robinson Okosun, Head of NFF Psychology Unit.
The Flamingoes have participated in every edition of the FIFA U17
Women’s World Cup since its inception in 2008. They will tackle the U17 women’s
team of Brazil on Nigeria's Independence Day (1st October) in their first match
of Jordan 2016, before playing England and Korea Democratic Republic. A total
of 32 matches will be contested between 16 countries at Jordan 2016 from 30th
September – 21st October.
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