News From The African Women's Soccer World

NIGERIA

Eucharia Uche Fires shots at Ladipo over Falcons' criticsm

Super Falcons coach Uche Eucharia has reacted angrily to the scathing criticisms directed towards her by former Nigerian International, Jossy Lad following Nigeria’s 1-1 draw with Ghana in an All Africa Games qualifier on Sunday.

Coach Eucharia Uche

Ladipo who coached the Falcons to the semifinals at the African Womens Championships (AWC) in Equatorial Guinea in 2008 did not spare Uche of scathing remarks over her choice of players for Sunday’s game.
The veteran who served as assistant to Ismaila Mabo when the Falcons competed at the women’s football event of the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece said Uche took a risk by fielding inexperienced players against the Ghanaians.
“Parading young and inexperienced players could be good for our developmental football; they did it against Namibia in Windhoek, it was okay but not in an important game against old rivals. We got draw, we cannot replay it, we should be planning for the return leg,” Lad told SuperSport.com on Monday.
However Uche has declared that Ladipo should have gotten his facts right before berating her.
“In Nigeria, some people just criticize without getting their facts. We did all we could to get all our best players but most of the clubs refused to release the players as the match did not fall on a Fifa free day.
So when our best players are not released, what would we then be expected to do?” she queried.

Enome Ebi

Turkey-based defender, Onome Ebi was the only foreign-based player to play in Sunday’s game and she has confirmed her availability for the return leg in Accra.
“I will be available for the return leg in Ghana. I was supposed to go back to my base in Turkey after the game but I was given special dispensation by my club, (Duvenciler Lisesi Spor Kulubu).
“I require a German visa to before making the trips and doing it twice in a space of too much would be almost impossible.
“This means that I will be in Abuja till we leave for Ghana next week,’ she confirmed.Players and officials of the Falcons are currently at their training camp in Abuja.
Super Falcons, Eucharia Uche, has come under scrutiny of the policy makers at the National Sports Commission (NSC) and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), who are insisting she must clear the All Africa Games qualifying huddles, or risk losing her job with the national team. Her position is increasingly becoming doubtful by her unconvincing tactical depth and the prospect of Nigeria falling short in their bid to defend the All Africa Games title in Maputo in September.

The huge pressure placed on Uche's shoulder is fired by the thinking in the NSC that a non qualification of the Falcons for the football event will potentially deny Nigeria of a sure footed gold medal at the quadrennial games.
by Sammy Wejinya and Olawale Ajimotokan


SOUTH AFRICA

Jermaine Seopesenwe

Banyana Banyana Set To Unleash Big Guns
The South African women's national team will see the return of 5  key players as they prepare for the second leg of the All africa Games qualifier against Botswana. Goal keeper Thoko Mndaweni,Janine van Wyk,Yola Jafta,Mamello Makhabane and Jermaine Seopesenwe were absent in the first leg defeat to Botswana at home.

The second leg will be played in Gaborone,Botswana on the 15th of May at the Molepole Stadium.  Banyana Banyana's 18 players will camp in Rustenberg ahead of this crucial match on a 0-1 deficit. The 18 players assembled are as follows:
Andile Dhlamini,Thoko Mndaweni,Memory Makhanya,Simphewe Masina,Yola Jafta,Janine van Wyk,Mary,Ntsweng,Mamello Makhabane,Zamandosi Cele,Noko Matlou,Amanda Dlamini,Amanda Sister,Nomathemba Nsibande,Jermaine Seopesenwe,Nothando Vilakazi,Robyn Moodaly,Martha Mokoma and Gabisile Hlumbane.

EQUATORIAL GUINEA

PUMA to Sponsor Equatorial Guinea

PUMA has signed a 3 year partnership deal with the  Equatorial Guinea Football Federation to become the main sponsor.

Following this agreement, the German sports apparel giant will invest about €300,000  in sports equipment for the women's national team.Besides the senior women's national team, Puma will also provide kits for Senior men's national team, the local and junior national teams,in all categories, as stipulated in the contract.

Régis Menoux, marketing director at Puma, who represented the company at the ceremony, said the three-year deal would cover all the tournaments in which national teams from the Equatorial Guinea would be participating, including the Female World Cup in Germany.

This makes Equatorial Guinea,the 13th African nation to be kitted by PUMA.