- Spots Mimi Calvin-Onwuka’s sterling performance
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) said the Super Falcons forward Rasheedat Ajibade would have won the topscorer award outright if the Nigeria women’s team had qualified for the finals of the Women’s African Cup of Nation (WAFCON) in Morocco.
NFF made this known in a congratulatory message to celebrate Ajibade and Mimi Calvin-Onwuka who played the role of Assistant Referee 1 in the finals between Morocco and South Africa.
In a report released by NFF Director of Communications, Ademola Olajire, the NFF Secretary General, Dr Mohammed Sanusi appreciated Ajibade for her goals which helped the Super Falcons secure a World Cup ticket to the 2023 FIFA World Cup finals in Australia and New Zealand.
“We rejoice with Rahseedat Ajibade for her emergence as joint top-scorer of the tournament and we implore her to continue to show even more prolificity and commitment in the jerseys of club and country,” Sanusi said.
“Her three goals surely helped the Super Falcons to win a World Cup ticket. Our team would certainly have been in the Final if not for the incident that led to her expulsion in the semi-final match against the host nation. “She probably would have won the award outright if she finished the game and played one more match,” the NFF Secretary General claimed.
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In the same vein, Sanusi also congratulated Mimisen Calvin-Onwuka, who played the role of Assistant Referee 1 in the final match between Morocco and South Africa on Saturday, saying her stellar performance alongside referee Salima Mukansanga from Rwanda did not go unnoticed by the global football community.
He urged her to continue to develop herself with available top-level courses and programmes to continue her rise to global reckoning. According to NFF, Ajibade was ejected after 70 minutes of the semi-final against Morocco at the Complexe Prince Moulay Abdellah, with Nigeria already one woman down, and the Falcons played the next 50 minutes (of regulation and extra time) with only nine players, losing in the ensuing penalty shootout.
In the third-place match against Zambia on Friday, a fierce shot by Evarine Suzeni Katongo in the 28th minute struck the upright and bounced on the back of hardworking goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie for the only goal of the match, with the Falcons failing to convert any of a slew of chances they created.
Meanwhile, Nigeria’s U20 girls, Falconets have continued their preparations for next month’s FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup finals scheduled for Costa Rica.
The girls, who have been training in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja will depart for a one-week training tour in Barranquilla, Colombia, from where the delegation will fly into San Jose for the finals slated for 10th – 28th August.
