…to meet Zambia on Thursday at Casablanca
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BY ENIOLA OLATUNJI
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The Super Falcons of Nigeria on Sunday night in Casablanca, Morocco played an unimpressive goalless draw with Algeria bit still topped group B to move into the quarterfinals.
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Falcons played woefully relaxing on the fact of outright qualification for the knockout stages before the last group match as the team squandered inpardonable scoring chances.
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Nigeria had 24-1 shots at goal; 2-0 shots on target; stringed 378-338 passes and lost 13-0 corner kicks advantage meaning something was amiss with the team.
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We cannot immediately report whether it was the decision of the Nigerian coach not to play former captain, multiple African player of the year and motivational player extraordinary of the team, Asisat Oshoala over alleged indiscipline for walking out on the team after she was substituted against Botswana an event still being handled by Nigerian football authorities.
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The Nigerians had worn black arm band in honour of late former President Muhammadu Buhari who died in a London Clinic few hours before the match.
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In the other Group B match, Botswana surprised Tunisia in a 2-1 victory.
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Nigeria tops group B with 7 points scoring 4 goals in a clean slate; Algeria got 5 points, scored one goal and also has a clean slate; Botswana climbed to the 3rd position scoring 2 goals and conceding 3 with a deficit of -1 while Tunisia exited the competition with one point scoring one goal and conceding 5 goals going out with a deficit of -4 goals.
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Nigeria and Algeria met four times with Nigeria winning each time scoring 9 goals while Algeria scored once. At the WACON meeting of 28thAugust 2019 Nigeria won 2-0; at the WAFCON meeting of 3rd September 2019 Nigeria won by a lone goal; At the International Friendly of 26th October 2024 Nigeria won 2-0 and the highest victory for Nigeria was the 4-1 win of 29th October 2024 in a friendly match.
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The Fennecs or Small Foxes of Algeria ranked 82 in the world had played goalless with Tunisia and piped Botswana by a lone goal in the group matches.
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The Algerians have never been to the world cup finals but have appeared at the WAFCON finals five times since 2004 always losing at the group stages in 2004, 2006, 2010, 2014 and 2018.
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It is interesting to note that Algerian ladies played their first match at Cesson-Sevigne, France against France and lost on 14th May 19980-14 which was the same figure she lost to Sudan at Algiers on 20th October 2021.
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Nigeria ranked 36th in the world has been to the world cup finals 9 times with their best performance being a quarterfinals in 1999. She won the title an astonishing 9 times of which no African team has gone near. The wins were in 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006 (five consecutive times); 2010, 2014 2016 and 2018. Nigeria reached semifinal in all their 12 previous appearances finishing 3rd in 2001 and placed 4th in 2012 and 2022.
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Nigeria beat Tunisia 3-0 and piped Botswana by a lone goal in previous matches.
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Yesterday Saturday, Group A structure was decided where Zambia defeated DR Congo after Pambani of DR Congo saw red in the 69th minute and hosts Morocco defeated defending champions, Senegal via a penalty score in the 45+2nd minute.
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Thus, Morocco led Group A with 7 points scoring 7 goals and conceding 4 with +3 goals difference; Zambia came second also securing 7 points with 6 goals and conceding 4 goals having +2 goals difference; Senegal could still qualify for lucky losers position after placing 3rd with 6 points scoring 6 goals and +2 goals difference but DR Congo will according to games rule leave Morocco in 48 hours having taken the exit door with no point secured scoring 2 goals and conceding 9 goals landing a -7 goals difference deficit.
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Nigeria will play Zambia in the quarterfinals on Thursday 17th July at Casablanca by 5pm while Morocco will meet the best lucky loser from group B or C same Thursday at Rabat.
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Another quarterfinals will be played on Friday 18th July at Barlune between Algeria and runners up in group C while same Friday the 4th quarterfinal match will be between winners of Group C and the best lucky loser of groups A or B.
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All semifinal matches will be decided on Monday 22nd July.
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Tomorrow Monday, Group C matches will be decided simultaneously between South Africa vs Mali and Ghana vs Tanzania. South Africa is currently leading with 4 points, Mali is 2nd with 4 points too, Tanzania is 3rd with 1 point and Ghana too has 1 point.
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Eniola Olatunji, reporting for Patmos Media Line.
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