Sports

Sports Enthusiasts Knock Super Falcons’ Poor Performance Against South Africa

Published

3 years ago

July 5, 2022

Many Sports enthusiasts in the nation’s capital territory, have expressed their great disappointment over the Super Falcon’s poor performance against their South African opponents at the ongoing 2022 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco.

Just on Monday night, Africa’s Banyana Banyana of South Africa stunned champions Super Falcons of Nigeria 2-1 in the Group C opening match at the 2022 WAFCON in Morocco.

The result was similar to that of 2018 WAFCON where Banyana Banyana defeated the Super Falcons 1-0 in their opening game.

The result also meant that the South Africans have now recorded back-to-back wins against Nigeria after they defeated the Super Falcons 4-2 in the Aisha Buhari Cup Invitational in 2021.

A cross section of football fans who spoke with our correspondent in Abuja on Tuesday morning expressed their unpleasant feeling over the Super Falcon’s performance.

A public servant, Gladys Ogar singled out Asisat Oshoala for criticism, saying that she failed to bring her A-game into the match and let her teammates down at critical moments in the game.

“Oshoala for me was the worst player on the pitch today. She failed to shine as she missed several clear cut opportunities in front of goal.

As for Ameachi Agbo , a sports Journalist said that the Falcons were technically as well as tactically deficient and didn’t show enough hunger to win the game.

“It was a lackadaisical performance from a team that had a lot of technical and tactical issues. The Falcons had no playmaker as Rita Chikwelu failed to offer any creative spark in the game and rightly deserved to be taken off.

Expressing his feeling, Olufemi Adedamola, an entrepreneur said it was reality check for the nine-time champions, adding that he was hopeful that they would bounce back from the defeat and perform better as they progress in the tournament.

“The Super Falcons suffered a reality check today against a young Banyana Banyana side who have proven to be a thorn in our flesh in recent times.

“They are the defending champions and the team to beat, but they were brought down to earth by the South Africans, who indeed earned a well-deserved win I must say.

“The team generally speaking, looked rusty and it’s fair to say their errors in the second half cost them the game.

“I hope they will go back to the drawing board, make the necessary adjustments and bounce back quickly from this defeat just as they did in 2018.”

Amaka Obiekwe, a student,

Another sports Journalists, Uche Okonkow noted that the Falcons’ defence line was poor, adding that only Michelle Alozie and Ashleigh Plumptre showed some flash of brilliance.

“The two centre-backs were a mess, failing to cope with the speed and skill of the South Africans. Onome Ebi, the captain was unaware of her surroundings for the first goal and out of position for the second.

“She lacked positional awareness and the speed to match the athletic South Africans.

“Alozie, the American fullback was solid defensively in the first half and looked good going forward. However, she was at fault for South Africa’s second goal as she was caught out of position.”

However, the Super Falcons will next face debutants Botswana while South Africa and they need to redeemed their image.

Share on Facebook

Sports

Analysis of the 2024/25 NPFL Table (Match Day 22)

Published

3 hours ago

February 5, 2025

The Gleamer

Patrick Ngwaogu (Odogwu)

The 2024/25 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) table after Match Day 22 reveals a competitive title race, a congested mid-table, and an intense relegation battle. Below is a breakdown of the key trends from the standings.

🏆 Title Race: Remo Stars in Control

1.  Remo Stars FC lead the table with 45 points from 22 games, boasting 14 wins, the highest in the league.
2.  Shooting Stars SC sit second with 37 points from 21 games, meaning they have a game in hand that could close the gap.
3.  Rivers United FC (35 points) and Rangers International FC (34 points) remain in contention, but their inconsistent results (only 9 wins each) suggest they will need strong finishes.

🚀 Key Insight: Remo Stars’ defensive solidity (only 16 goals conceded) and best goal difference (+14) make them the current favorites for the title.

⚖️ Mid-Table Battle: Competitive and Unpredictable

•   Teams from 5th place (Abia Warriors, 33 points) to 14th place (Katsina United, 26 points) are separated by just 7 points.
•   Clubs like El-Kanemi Warriors (32 points) and Enyimba FC (31 points) could still push for continental spots if they gain momentum.
•   Kano Pillars and Bayelsa United (29 & 28 points respectively) are sitting in the middle of the pack but could easily be dragged into the relegation fight if results don’t improve.

⚠️ Key Concern: Mid-table teams must be wary of inconsistency, as a few bad results could put them in relegation danger.

🌍 Continental Qualification Spots

•   The top two teams qualify for the CAF Champions League (CAFCL), while the third-place team enters the CAF Confederation Cup (CAFCC).
•   Rivers United (3rd) and Rangers (4th) are currently in the best position to battle for continental spots.
•   Ikorodu City FC (7th, 31 points) and Niger Tornadoes (9th, 31 points) remain dark horses for a top-three finish.

🌟 Key Contenders: Rangers International and Rivers United must improve their consistency to ensure a top-three finish.

⚠️ Relegation Battle: 6 Teams in Trouble

The bottom of the table is highly competitive, with at least six teams in danger of relegation:

1.  Bendel Insurance (25 points)
2.  Plateau United (24 points)
3.  Sunshine Stars (24 points)
4.  Nasarawa United (22 points)
5.  Lobi Stars (21 points)
6.  Akwa United (20 points, bottom place)

📉 Key Observations:

•   Nasarawa United, Plateau United, and Bendel Insurance have had 3 points and 3 goals deducted due to league violations, which has severely impacted their standings.
•   Akwa United (20 points, -8 GD) has the worst goal difference and could face serious relegation trouble unless they turn things around.

🔥 Key Battle: Lobi Stars, Nasarawa United, and Akwa United must fight hard to escape the drop zone in the remaining matches.

🔑 Key Takeaways

✅ Remo Stars are strong favorites for the title.
✅ Shooting Stars have a game in hand, making the top-two battle interesting.
✅ Mid-table is highly competitive, with several teams still in contention for continental football.
✅ Relegation battle is wide open, with six teams fighting to survive.

🚨 What to Watch For Next: Will Shooting Stars close the gap? Can Rivers United push for a top-two finish? Who will survive the relegation scrap? The remaining fixtures will be crucial in shaping the NPFL season’s outcome.

Share on Facebook