Following a very timely visit to the Nigeria women’s U-20 football team’s campsite before their match against Haiti, the Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Solomon Dalung has pledged $10,000 to
the Falconets if they make it into the quarter final round of the 2018 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in France.
U-20 Women’s World Cup
The two-time World Cup finalists will be facing China in a decisive quarter-final showdown on Monday, 13th August with one goal in mind; to defeat the Chinese and qualify from the first round of the World Cup for the seventh time in their history.
Resolute about the team’s success in this year’s edition of the biennial international women’s youth football championship, Nigeria Football Federation President, Chris Giwa, has enjoined the Falconets to go all out for the win against a desperate China who will also be looking to put up a good fight to strengthen their qualifying chances.
“Many times when you decide to settle for a draw, it could back fire, unlike when you fight for a win, as if that is what is needed to qualify, though a draw will be good enough. We want the Falconets to up their game against the Chinese tomorrow.
“The Chinese will be as desperate as the Falconets, if not more, considering the slight advantage our girls have ahead of them. They will definitely fight for the maximum points, which is why we also want our girls fight till the end.
“We are happy with the news that there are no injury worries in camp and the girls are in high spirit after the visit of the Honourable Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Barrister Solomon Dalung before their match against Haiti. The minister beyond his fatherly counsel to them, also promised the girls 10,000 dollars, if they win their last group game. So we are confident they are well motivated to do the nation proud.”
– Ambassador Giwa
Acting General Secretary of the NFF, Dr Emmanuel Ikpeme, lauded the girls for their perseverance and determination to put Nigeria atop the world’s U-20 football ranking list.
“These girls remain our best female ambassadors at the global level given their antecedents, especially in 2010 and 2014, when they played in the finals on both occasions. The girls will step up their game against the Chinese because they seem to rise to the occasion, whenever the stakes are high. They know what is at stake and will do their best to qualify from the group.”
– Ikpeme
