Glorious Falconets arrive Nigeria in style, commended by President Jonathan
The Nigerian Women U-20 national team, Falconets have returned home to a grand reception from the presidency after losing to Germany 2-0 at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup final.
Germany become the first host nation to lift the title, through an early goal by Alexandra Popp and a late own goal. This is the second time Germany have won the championship, the first was recorded in Thailand in 2004.
The Falconets were very impressive in the tournament. After defeating favourites and 2008 champions USA on the way to the final, they battled bravely against the Germans before settling for the silver medal on Sunday, becoming the first African team to win a medal in a FIFA women’s tournament.
South Korea won the third place match earlier in the day as they beat Colombia 1-0 through Ji-So Yun’s goal.
German Popp claimed the Golden Boot award of the competition after scoring 10 goals, while Korean Yun won the Silver Boot with eight.
Popp also clinched the Golden Ball award as Yun settled for the Silver Ball, while Kim Kulig, also of Germany, picked up the Bronze Ball award.
Despite the loss to the Germans, the official candy of Nigeria’s national teams, TomTom, has congratulated the Falconets on putting up a good fight in the final.
TomTom, which has been rewarding all the national teams since signing on as the official candy in 2008, is also giving the history-making girls $250 for each shot they got on target in the tournament. They recorded 46 shots on Target in all games to make $11,500.
Nigerian President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, on the news of the team’s victory urged female politicians in the country to emulate them Junior Female National Football team, the Falconets, who booked a place in the U-20 FIFA Women’s World Cup final yesterday by beating Colombia 1-0.
The Falconets will slug it out with Germany on Sunday in the historic final.
The President said that the challenge of good governance can only be met by participatory team-work as exemplified by the Falconets in the game of football.
“The courage, consistency and the team spirit that I saw displayed by our female team at the ongoing World Cup must also be taken up by the women in the political sphere in the coming 2011 elections, especially in this day and age where Nigerian women are doing us proud at the World Bank, IMF, Nollywood, Academia and other areas,” Jonathan said on Facebook this morning.
The President said that the Falconets have shown the world the many possibilities Nigeria is capable of.
“By this victory, the team has inspired an entire nation to believe that the best is yet to come in our football. I want to commend the Falconets for a job well done.
“This is an unprecedented feat in women’s participation in the female World Cup. To these great patriots, I say the World Cup trophy is within reach. To all Nigerians, especially our youths, I say that there is nothing you cannot achieve when you apply your mind to it. I congratulate all Nigerians on this historic feat and urge you all my friends, brothers, sisters and fellow citizens on facebook to support however way you can. Go Falcons, go,” the President said.
Jonathan had earlier banned all Nigerian teams from participating in international competitions for the next two years.
The decision was, however, reversed after FIFA threatened to suspend Nigeria indefinitely from all world soccer events.
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