President Muhammadu Buhari, sports minister Sunday Dare and Nigeria Football Federation president Amaju Pinnick have praised the Super Falcons for qualifying for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
The Nigerian ladies defeated their arch-rivals Cameroon 1-0 last night in the quarter-finals of the Morocco 2022 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Casablanca to advance to their ninth World Cup, meaning they have qualified for every edition of the global tournament since the first one in China in 1991.
Buhari issued a congratulatory message contained in a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, titled ‘President Buhari hails Super Falcons’ qualification for 2023 Women’s World Cup’.
“The President lauds the spirited performance of the team in the tournament and for maintaining its dominant posture as undisputed champions of the round-leather game and most successful international women’s football team in the continent,” Adesina wrote last night.
“Having won the tournament twice in 2016 and 2018, under this administration, the President assures the girls and their handlers that the whole nation is strongly standing with them and will continue to cheer them on until the final whistle in Morocco.
“He prays that the Super Falcons, who have produced some of the greatest African players in the history of the women’s game, will surpass their achievement in the last Women’s World Cup in 2019, where they advanced to the Round of 16, for the first time in 15 years.”
Dare also congratulated the Super Falcons, describing their feat as ‘heartwarming’.
He also urged the team to now go all out to win the tournament for a record-extending 10th time.
“You (Super Falcons) have never missed out of any FIFA Women’s World Cup finals. I celebrate you for keeping to your high standards by qualifying for next year’s event in Australia and New Zealand,” Dare said last night.
“This is heartwarming and you have made yourselves and Nigerians proud. I congratulate you, your coaches, the NFF and all Nigerians who have shown good will and support to the team.
“While celebrating this World Cup ticket, let me urge you to do a little more. Win your next game and the one after it and you will be the queens of African football for the tenth time.”
Pinnick praised the resilience of the defending champions, who bounced back from their opening defeat to South Africa to win their next three matches without conceding a goal.
“I congratulate the girls for a strong performance against another strong team. They showed that truly, Nigeria is the powerhouse of African women football. They held firm to victory even in the face of pressure towards the end,” Pinnick said.
“Their strength and perseverance was highly commendable. They have done very well to qualify for the FIFA World Cup. Now, we can aim for retention of the trophy.”
The Super Falcons will face hosts Morocco in the second semi-final on Monday at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat moments after the first semi-final between South Africa and Zambia in Casablanca.
