AWCO: We’re in Morocco To Win La Decima – Oshoala, Nigerian striker
Nigerian striker, Asisat Oshoala, has revealed the Super Falcons aim
to achieve La Decima glory at the 2022 African Women’s Cup of Nations.
The Falcons have won the AWCON a record nine times and are keen to
extend their record at the competition and claim a historic tenth
trophy; The La Decima.
Speaking on NFF TV, the four-time African Footballer of the Year
calmed the nerves of the fans by saying the team is ready for any
pressure.
“Going for the tenth one; it’s going to be a beautiful record but also
if you’re at the level where the Super Falcons are then you know what
is called responsibility, you are at the level where people expect
certain things from you and everyone expects us to win, so I get the
pressure part, and I think it’s something we can handle as a team.”
The FCBarca Femeni star is not bothered by any individual accolades
but is rather focused on helping the Super Falcons win at the highest
stage in the continent.
“Personally, I don’t really have any personal targets I am setting for
myself in this tournament. I feel like my main target is just to help
my team as much as I can. If it’s by scoring goals, if it’s by
defending or doing whatever is going to help my team to grow and to
win, I’m ready to do it.”
Despite being injured for a large part of the season (three months),
27-year-old Oshoala finished top scorer in the Liga Iberdrola with 20
goals in 19 appearances to become the first African to win the
Pichichi award in Spain.
The Falcons arrived in Rabat on Monday where the team will camp for
seven days before their crunch opening match of Group C against South
Africa in the same city at the Stade Prince Moulay EL Hassan in Rabat
on July 4.
The Falcons will also play Botswana three days later before taking on
Burundi on July 10 in the group phase.
The top two sides will automatically qualify for the quarter-finals,
while the two best third-placed teams will also join the last-eight
stage.
All four semi-finalists in Morocco will qualify to represent Africa at
the Women’s World Cup in Australia & New Zealand next year, with the
fifth-placed team handed an opportunity to also gain a place through a
Playoff Tournament taking place early next year.
Also at Ideal Nestle hotel, a receptionist who also preferred
anonymity, said all rooms had been booked.
He said politicians and dignitaries had been coming from Abuja, Lagos,
Kano, Kaduna, Ekiti and other places for the election.
”These people’s representatives come to pay for their reservation even
before their arrival, making all our rooms fully booked ahead of
Saturday’s election.”
It was further observed that some hotel premises had security
personnel and their vehicles parked both inside and outside the
hotels.
The candidates of political parties vying for the governorship seat
include Sen. Ademola Adeleke ( Peoples Democratic Party), Mr Lasun
Yussuf (Labour Party) and incumbent governor Adegboyega Oyetola (All
Progressives Congress).
The Nigeria Police are expected to deploy 21, 000 officers for the
election, while INEC moved 12 Residential Electoral Commissioners and
five National Commissioners to the state to supervise its conduct.
Also, the Federal Road Safety Corps said it would deploy 1,500
officers across strategic spots for safety of lives and property with
the Nigerian Security Civil Defense Corps having hundreds of its men
ready for the election.
Election observers to for the exercise include YIAGA Africa, National
Democratic Institute, and Kimpact Developed Initiative, among other
civil society organisations
A peace accord by all the political parties was signed by governorship
candidates on Wednesday, to allow the peaceful conduct of the
election.
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