Cybereagles

I think this belongs in Eagles Nest since we are involved.

First game: France beat S Korea 4-0.

Falcons play Norway later tonight - Go Falcons!

Lets go Falcons! Abeg come correct for dis world cup oh!

Oshoala: I go to have fun on the pitch
08 Jun 2019

Barcelona’s Asisat Oshoala enters France 2019 as one of its biggest names
The 24-year-old explains why she never feels under pressure


© Getty Images

By Ann Odong with Nigeria
Asisat Oshoala was, five years ago, universally tipped as the next big superstar in women’s football. The forward was fresh from electrifying at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, leaving with the adidas Golden Ball and adidas Golden Boot.

While Nigeria played some of the most entertaining football at the last FIFA Women's World Cup™, they were unable to make it out of a tough group that included eventual champions USA, Australia and Sweden.

Four years on, older and wiser, Asisat Oshoala is now what she was expected to become back then: a genuine star of the global game. She has claimed three African Women’s Footballer of the Year prizes and just agreed a new deal with Spanish giants Barcelona, for whom she scored in the recent UEFA Women’s Champions League final.

With status, however, comes pressure, and Oshoala enters France 2019, which will begin her against Norway on Saturday, carrying the hopes of a football-impassioned nation on her shoulders. That may weigh on some players, but not the Nigeria No8.

“For me, I am never under pressure because I love what I do,” Oshoala told FIFA.com. “I love my job. I see it like I’m going to have fun on the pitch.

“A lot of people are expecting much from me, but for me it’s just a day-to-day thing. Go out there and play football, help the team, help my team-mates, get some goals if possible.”

That mature attitude is one of the reasons coach Thomas Dennerby has appointed Oshoala vice-captain of the Super Falcons, behind skipper Desire Oparanozie. That trust is mutual, with the 24-year-old believing the Swede will play an important part in Nigeria’s success.

“Now we have a lot of professional players, and now we have a professional coach as well, who has experience with other national teams in the same tournament,” said Oshoala. “He has really helped the team to be much better when it comes to the team patterns and understanding your opponent. I feel like we have the quality, and now we have a coach who knows how to use the quality in the team, so it is a big advantage for us.”

The quality is certainly there, with Nigeria boasting one of the most exciting attacks at France 2019. The likes of Francisca Ordega and Ngozi Okobi have four years’ experience in leading women’s football leagues. Add to that thrilling new talent in Rasheedat Ajibade, Anam Imo, Uchenna Kanu and Chinaza Uchendu and the Super Falcons look set to soar.

It has been 20 years since Oshoala’s childhood hero Mercy Akide led Nigeria to the USA 1999 quarter-finals – their best Women’s World Cup performance. Oshoala hopes to follow in Akide’s footsteps and believes the Super Falcons can make a statement at France 2019 and translate their continental dominance into global success.

“We just feel like we don’t want to make up numbers for the tournament,” she said. “We don’t want to be just participants. We want to try and qualify from the group stage and move forward.”
https://www.fifa.com/womensworldcup/new ... -the-pitch

Oshoala is fine o

I wish them good luck. I dont have high expectations for the team. They havent played well in a long time.

ANC wrote:Oshoala is fine o

Fact not feelings.

It looks to me like Desire is fitter than she’s been for years and the captaincy is a big demonstration of trust. Alongside Asisat they’ll pose a stern test for any defence.
This team is loaded with talent. It’s a tough group, but if the prep has been as good as I’m hearing it was, they could be a force.

ANC wrote:Oshoala is fine o

Oparanozie nko?

Ajiade is quite pretty but she no just send with that her boyish low cut



But the queen though is Odega.

Damunk wrote:

ANC wrote:Oshoala is fine o

Oparanozie nko?
The queen though is Odega.

What’s with the sexism?

txj wrote:

Damunk wrote:

ANC wrote:Oshoala is fine o

Oparanozie nko?
The queen though is Odega.

What’s with the sexism?

Its sad that we live in a world today where paying a woman a compliment about her looks is seen as 'sexism'.

I take it you believe women talking about the good looks of male footballers is also 'sexism' right?

Or the guy in the RIP Keshi thread that said he was a good looking young footballer is 'gay'?

Oga please.
No bring your ITK come another thread.
I take God beg you.

She is a footballer. It is kind of sexism if the focus of the discussion is mostly about her looks and not about football.

ohenhen1 wrote:She is a footballer. It is kind of sexism if the focus of the discussion is mostly about her looks and not about football.

IF.
How many hundreds of times have we discussed Oshoala, Oparanozie, Odega and their football on this forum that even you can remember?
Everything else is now banned?
So when they posed for a glamour shoot recently, that was sexism too?

Zokay nah.

Also if it makes the person uncomfortable. How would you feel if you earn less than another person because of your gender. Instead of them treating you as an equal in the workplace , the boss is saying you are beautiful. You are fine, georgous and etc. It is kind of sexist. There is a time and place to hit on women not in a professional environment. After saying that it is okay to give compliments like, you look nice today

It’s pure sexism. This is a football forum. Keep the discussion to that.

Goalasooooooooooooo!!!!!

SA 1-0

txj wrote:Goalasooooooooooooo!!!!!

SA 1-0

Good goal too!!

First time since 1999 any African team has scored first against European opposition at the WC

Showboy wrote:

txj wrote:Goalasooooooooooooo!!!!!

SA 1-0

Good goal too!!

First time since 1999 any African team has scored first against European opposition at the WC

Didn't the Falcons score 3 vs Sweden? What sort of silly stat is score first?

Bigpokey24 wrote:

Showboy wrote:

txj wrote:Goalasooooooooooooo!!!!!

SA 1-0

Good goal too!!

First time since 1999 any African team has scored first against European opposition at the WC

Didn't the Falcons score 3 vs Sweden? What sort of silly stat is score first?

A stat that was quoted and discussed by the commentators hence my shock look

PK to Spain

2 YCs = RC

Wow!!! That is such a harsh second penalty against RSA.

That was a nonsense award by VAR.

2-1 Spain

No less than they deserve