.By

Eniola Olatunji 

The international football friendly between the Super Falcon of Nigeria and Les Bleues of France scheduled for Saturday at the Stade Raymond Kopa (Angers) is not only to prepare the two teams for their pending competitive engagements but also a mandatory observation of the level of development of the Super Falcons of Nigeria.

France and Nigeria have met thrice with France winning the three matches and scoring all the 10 goals scored without Nigeria getting even a goal. Twice at the world cup and once in a friendly like the pending one on Saturday were the meetings.

On 26th June 2011 Nigeria lost by a lone goal in a world cup match; on 6th April 2018 Nigeria was canned 8-0 by France in a friendly encounter and again at a Group A of a world cup  encounter of the match played on 17th June 2019 Nigeria lost by a lone goal.

Ranked 10 in the world, France was at the Olympics like Nigeria. She bowed to Canada 1-2; beat New Zew Zealand 2-1 and bowed again to Brazil by a lone goal. She had two friendly matches beating Jamaica 3-0 and surprisingly lost to Switzerland 1-2.

France on 14th May 1998 had flogged Algeria 14-0 at the Cesson-Sevigne, France. She was at the world cup 5 times and had a best achievement of placing 4th in 2011. She was at the Olympics thrice and also had a best achievement of placing 4th in 2012. She made 8 appearances at the European Championship and got a podium finish with the Silver medal in 2022.

Nigeria ranked 36 in the world, at the Olympics lost to Brazil by a lone goal; lost to Spain also by a lone goal and lost to Japan 1-3. Nigeria played two friendly matches with Algeria on her soil beating the North Africans 2-0 at Remo Shagamu Stadium on 25th October and winning gleefully 4-1 in Lagos.

Nigeria made 9 appearances at the world cup but her best was a quarterfinal in 1999.She went to the Olympics 4 times and her best was also a quarterfinal placing. Nigeria is dominant at the Women AFCON in which she appeared 14 times and won 11 times the last which happened in 2018.

European nations have been bashing the Super Falcons left and right. Norway battered Nigeria 8-0 on 6th June 1995; Germany did same by same goals margin on 25th November 2010 and the France by same margin on 6th April 2018 at Le Mans in France. 

Nigeria is already in France with at least three key players in multiple African player of the Year, Azezat Oshoala whose papers and work permit got expired; utility player and captain Rasheedat Ajibade  who is out to injury. Abiodun is also out injured.

Randy Waldrum who has been managing the Super Falcons is out too. He was reported to have resigned his appointment. His former assistant Justin Madugu is there now. Madugu was in charge against Algeria.

Nigerian’s are on the lookout whether the Super Falcons would improve their records against the French ladies.