ANOTHER pall of black smoke descended on the country's football firmament yesterday as the Super Falcons failed to qualify for the 2012 London Olympics at the second leg of the London 2012 Olympics Women's Football qualifier played at the Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium, Yaound.Like their male counterparts, the Super Falcons promised Nigerians that they would surmount their foes and pick the ticket to be one of Africa's representatives at the multi-sports fiesta.All that turned out to be wishful thinking as perennial foes and current All Africa Games gold medalist, the Indomitable Lionesses, bundled the African champions out.Unlike their male counterparts, that needed a lone goal win to walk straight into the finals of the African Cup of Nations, the Falcons needed at least a draw to secure their passage to the Olympic Games..Africa has two slots at the Women's football tournament of the London 2012 Games. Already, South Africa's Bayana Bayana, which sent out Ethiopia in the other qualifying fixture, had earlier picked one of the tickets.With this sad development, Nigeria's only hope of playing in any prominent competition next year lies with the Dream Team Five, tutored by ex-international, Austin Eguavoen. The team is preparing for the final qualifying phase of the Men's football tournament of the Games.At the end of regulation time, scores stood at 1-2, forcing play into extra time since the first leg in Abuja, ended with a similar score line. In the resultant penalty shootout, Faith Ikidi and Glory Iroka failed to find the back of the net thus denying the team of an appearance at the Olympics. The Falcons, however, played a greater part of the match with one man down.This defeat has not only shut the Olympic Games door against the Nigeria female football team, but has also furthered the unenviable record of the current board of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), led by Aminu Maigari.The journey to Falcons eventual ouster began penultimate month after the team could only pip their opponents 2-1 in the first leg played at the National Stadium, Abuja. The return leg earlier scheduled for last month was shifted further at the behest of Cameroon, which appealed to Nigeria, through world football governing body, FIFA, as their women's team was involved in the 10th All-Africa Games in Mozambique.Aside a groundswell of boasts made by Falcons technical crew and players alike of how they will dismantle the Lionesses in their home, the NFF elected to double the team's normal win-bonus, in order to spur them up. All that, however, failed to yield expected dividends.
Click here to read full news..
