Liverpool star, Oshoala, will lead the Falcons
challenge in Canada
The Super
Falcons begin their Canada 2015 Women’s World Cup campaign on Monday with a
crucial opening game against Sweden at the Winnipeg Stadium.
The Falcons,
who departed Toronto, venue of their final training camp, for Winnipeg on
Thursday, are in Group D with two-time champions USA, Sweden and Australia.
Nigeria
alongside the Swedes, Brazil, Germany, Japan, Norway and the United States has
competed in every edition of the competition, which began in 1991.
Among these countries, the Falcons have the least pedigree at the World Cup,
with a quarter-final outing in 1999, their best ever performance at the event.
The Falcons
have recorded the highest number of loses— 14— in the competition and also
conceded 50 goals, the most by any team. They also have the lowest goal
difference of -35.
These
statistics however, belies the Falcons dominance of the game on the continent.
Only twice have the African champions failed to win the African Women Champion
since its inception in 1998. Equatorial Guinea is the only other winners in
2008 and 2012.
This time,
they will be hoping to go one step or more further, ahead of their 1999
counterparts. But they have a herculean task advancing from Group D to the
competition’s knockout stages. After their game against Sweden, who reached the
final in 2003 and emerged third in 1991 and 2011, the Falcons will then battle
Australia on June 12, before their final group face-off against two-time
champions USA in Vancouver on June 16.
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