Sports Revelation Online ..breaking authenic sports reports
By Harry Awurumibe, Africa’s No. 1 Women’s Football Journalist
Flamingos of Nigeria pose for photograph in previous match.
Nigeria’s opponents in Saturday’s winner takes all FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup final round return leg tie, Ethiopia arrived Abuja Thursday afternoon aboard Ethiopian Airlines flight from Addis Ababa.
As exclusively reported by Sportsrevelation last week, the Ethiopian delegation comprising of 25 players, coaching crew and backroom staff as well as Ethiopian Football Association (EFA) officials touched down at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Abuja by 1:23 pm and were received at the airport by Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) officials.
The team which has since settled down at prominent Abuja hotel, had their first training at Area 10, Garki later in the evening while the Ethiopians will have their official one training session inside the MKO Abiola National Stadium Abuja on Friday ahead of the Saturday’s crucial match.
All Smiles. ..Head Coach Oloowokere Bankole and his players are 90 minutes away from qualifying for India 2022.
Meanwhile, the Nigerians who won the first leg final round tie 1-0 in Addis Ababa courtesy of the prolific striker, Opeyemi Ajakaiye concluded their tactical training on Thursday and will only do a light walkout on Friday to remain fresh for the make or mar encounter on Saturday in Abuja.
Our reporter observed that Flamingos Head Coach Oloowokere Bankole and his assistants drilled the Flamingos in every aspects of the game as the gaffer was seen marshalling out instructions throughout the training session.
In a chat with our reporter, Bankole exclusively revealed that he is optimistic of victory over the Ethiopians on Saturday because he has prepared his team adequately to beat their opponents.
“I am sure the players I have in camp are good enough to beat Ethiopia like we did two weeks ago in Addis Ababa. We have studied their pattern of play and will counter them to get a win in Abuja”, Bankole posited.
The Confederation of Africa Football (CAF) has already deployed four Senegalese match officials to handle the final round return leg tie between Nigeria and Ethiopia in Abuja.
Senegalese Mame Coumba Faye has been appointed the Center Referee of the crucial match while she will be assisted by compatriots, Adia Isseu Cisse (1st Assistant); Fatou Bintou Sene (2nd Assistant) and Fatou Thioune (4th Official).
CAF also appointed Ms. Aisha Nalule of Uganda as Match Commissioner and Emmanuella Grace Aglago from Ghana as Referee Assessor while
Nigeria’s Dr. Ozi Salami Onimisi is the Covid-19 Officer.