Following the arrival of the Nigeria senior women’s team, the Super Falcons, in Leon, Mexico, ahead of the four-nation women’s Revelation Cup tournament, head coach, Randy Waldrum, highlighted the importance of the competition in their preparation for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
🔊 Our head coach Randy Waldrum speaks ahead of this evening’s opening match against Mexico. #SoarSuperFalcons|#FIFAWWCprep| #Team9jastrong| #RevelationsCup pic.twitter.com/Sg3mZJOAVT
— NGSuper_Falcons (@NGSuper_Falcons) February 15, 2023
The 66-year-old American is confident that the Super Falcons will gain the necessary experience from the upcoming games in the inaugural Revelation Cup and will be better prepared for the ninth edition of the Women’s World Cup.
Waldrum said: “I think it will be a good preparation for us [Super Falcons] because in the last five games we have played the United States and Canada twice, and then Japan.”
“Those were five difficult games and I think it’s important that we are winning because we are trying to be successful.”
Although Waldrum revealed that the matches will help them work on certain aspects of their game that they are trying to improve, he added that he would have preferred to also play European countries to get a feel for their style of football.
“These games help us to do some of the things we are working on and trying to prepare for,” he said.
“I would have loved for us to play European teams due to the shape of our group, which has Canada, Australia, and Ireland, who all play different styles from the ones we are facing in the Revelation Cup.
“Notwithstanding, I think these matches will shape us and help us gain some experience in some areas we are trying to improve on. So, I want to thank the president of the federation for the help in getting us into the tournament,” Waldrum concluded.
The Falcons are joined by hosts Mexico, Costa Rica, and Colombia as the other teams participating in the Revelation Cup, which is set to begin today and run until Tuesday, February 21.
The Revelation Cup is played with the aim of preparing the four nations for the upcoming Women’s World Cup, the biggest edition ever with 32 teams, which will be held in Australia and New Zealand from July 20 through August 20.
🚨Camp Updates🚨
At launch time, we can confirm the arrival of 22 players to our camp base in Leon📍ahead of the opener against hosts Mexico on Wednesday by 4pm local time. Still awaited is Asisat Oshoala.#SoarSuperFalcons|#FIFAWWCprep| #Team9jastrong| #RevelationCup|@thenff pic.twitter.com/5W1fLtGNPF
— NGSuper_Falcons (@NGSuper_Falcons) February 14, 2023
The nine-time African champions will play their first game of the tournament against hosts Mexico at the Estadio Leon at 11pm Nigerian time today, while Costa Rica and Colombia will kick off the tournament three hours earlier at 8pm.
On Saturday, February 18, the Falcons will face The Powerpuff Girls of Colombia at 8pm, with Mexico and Costa Rica battling shortly after.
The last round of matches will see Costa Rica square off against Nigeria at 12am on Wednesday, February 22, while Mexico and Colombia draw the curtain on the event at 3am.
The Super Falcons booked qualification for the historic 2023 Women’s World Cup after finishing fourth at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco last year. They have been drawn in Group B with co-hosts Australia, Olympic champions Canada, and debutants Republic of Ireland.
ALL THE INVITED PLAYERS
Goalkeepers: Chiamaka Nnadozie (Paris FC, France); Yewande Balogun (AS Saint-Etienne, France)
Defenders: Onome Ebi (Levante Las Planas (Spain); Osinachi Ohale (Deportivo Alaves, Spain); Ashleigh Plumptre (Leicester City, England); Glory Ogbonna (ALG Spor, Turkey); Rofiat Imuran (Stade de Reims, France); Michelle Alozie (Houston Dash, USA); Oluwatosin Demehin (Stade de Reims, France); Akudo Ogbonna (Rivers Angels)
Midfielders: Halimatu Ayinde (FC Rosengard, Sweden); Christy Ucheibe (SL Benfica, Portugal); Ngozi Okobi-Okeoghene (Eskilstuna United, Sweden); Rasheedat Ajibade (Atletico Madrid, Spain); Toni Payne (Sevilla FC, Spain); Jennifer Echegini (Florida State University, USA); Regina Otu (AS Saint-Etienne, France)
Forwards: Asisat Oshoala (Barcelona Femenin, Spain); Esther Okoronkwo (AS Saint-Etienne, France); Ifeoma Onumonu (NY/NJ Gotham FC, USA); Chinwendu Ihezuo (Rayadas Monterrey, Mexico); Francisca Ordega (CSKA Moscow, Russia); Uchenna Kanu (Tigres Femenil, Mexico)
