Nigeria’s Under-20 women football team will be accompanied by a band of supporters when they fly in tomorrow for a Fifa U20 Women’s World Cup first round, second leg qualifier against their local counterparts.
The two teams clash at Rufaro Stadium on Sunday with the Falconets heavily tipped to go through following their3-0 win in the first leg that was played in Nigeria a fortnight ago.
However, despite carrying what appears to be a healthy advantage, the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) is seemingly not sure as yet.
On Monday, the NFF forwarded video tapes of the first leg match to the Falconets technical team so they can closely examine Zimbabwe’s team before the second leg match.
The NFF have also notified Zifa that they will bring a group of supporters to cheer on their team. The Falconets delegation, led by Ogun State First Lady Olufunso Amosun, is expected in the capital tomorrow.
“They have sent in their contingent with a total of 40 people,” said Zifa communications Nicky Dlamini yesterday.
“The list has 18 players; five officials and the rest they said are supporters,” added Dlamini. Falconets media officer Precious Akujobi thinks it will be a tall order for the hosts to overturn the first leg deficit.
“I don’t see the Zimbabweans beating us 4-0 in Harare, it’s unthinkable because our girls are well prepared,” Akujobi told a local newspaper yesterday.
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“We know their weaknesses and we have worked on that and counter their area of strength. It would be an uphill task for the Zimbabweans to replicate the same feat because I know the girls are going to score when they get to Harare.”
The Young Mighty Warriors team, on the other hand, have been boosted by the return into the fold of chief striker Rufaro Machingura, who missed the first leg due to suspension. The team did not break camp since returning from Nigeria.
Manager Debra Green yesterday said the team was ready for the big challenge.
