The President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau, gave the country’s U20 girls team, the Falconets, a challenge on Thursday to put in their all and defeat Tanzania in their FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup second round first leg match on Sunday in order to begin laying the groundwork for their future careers.
As the players’ representatives of Nigeria, Gusau stated they had a duty to conduct themselves properly both on and off the pitch when he visited the girls at the FIFA Goal Project inside the MKO Abiola National Stadium, Abuja, during their final training session before leaving for Dar es Salaam.
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“Your first port of call is Tanzania, but your destination is Colombia, where the World Cup will take place next year.
“You must have it in mind that this is only the beginning of the journey.
” I do not doubt that you will conquer Tanzania and go ahead to qualify for the World Cup finals.
“Our country has never failed to qualify for the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup since the competition started more than 20 years ago, and I am sure you girls will not want to be the first set to be associated with failure. Therefore, you must put in extra effort, listen to your coaches, and play to instructions.”
Gusau conveyed to the players that their conduct off the pitch of play is just as significant as their advertised abilities.
“As ambassadors of our great nation, you have a responsibility to be of the very best conduct on and off the field.
“You must fly the flag brilliantly and conscientiously, and emerge victorious.
“After the hurdle, there are still more hurdles for you to overcome before earning the ticket to Colombia.
” So, it is a long journey with a lot of hard work and determination, but it is worth it to put your career on track and head towards greatness in your chosen field.”
On Friday, the Falconets team will leave Nigeria for Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and then Dar es Salaam, where they will play the Tanzanian U20 girls on Sunday.
On Sunday, November 19, 2023, at the MKO Abiola Stadium in Abuja, both teams will trade tackles once more.