Queens, Falcons to rumble

Warri (Nigeria) - Nigeria's Super Falcons walloped their South African counterparts, Bayana Bayana, 5-0 in their semi finals match played at the Warri stadium on Wednesday, thus setting the stage for a final clash between Nigeria and Ghana on Friday.

Regardless of Friday's scoreline, the Queens and the Falcons have emerged as Africa's representatives to the FIFA Women's World Cup slated for the People's Republic of China in September next year.

Friday's encounter will be the second time the two teams would be meeting at the finals. The first was in 1998 when Nigeria won the game. While the Queens would be on record as the team to have conceded less number of goals, the Falcons would be riding high with the highest goals scored so far in the tournament.

The Falcons, bolstered by the heavy home crowd, are heavily tipped to win the finals to call the bluff of the Ghanaians who had silenced them 1-0 in their group match. This was however, dismissed by the Queens, who said they are looking forward to the final with a lot of hope.

"Just as the Falcons think they are poised for action, so are we. We are well prepared and would not return to Ghana without the cup," Coach Oko Aryee told the Ghana News Agency in Warri.

The Ghanaians, who have not lost any match, said they intend to maintain that record after all five matches. Coach Aryee admitted that the expected heavy home crowd could impact negatively on the performance of the Queens, but said his side was psyched up for the intimidation.

"We have had no support ever since we beat the Falcons and we know Friday will be worse. We have already psyched ourselves up against the situation."

On her part, skipper Alberta Sackey, leading goal scorer of the tournament, said she expects her team to put in its best and face the Falcons "squarely", come Friday. "We are not going to be a walk-over this time around. Just as they are ready to surprise us, so are we," she said, adding that with God on their side, nothing could detract their attention.

South Africa's Bayana Bayana and the Lioness of Cameroon would also play on Friday for the third place, ahead of the finals at the Warri City Stadium.

Warri (Nigeria) - Nigeria's Super Falcons walloped their South African counterparts, Bayana Bayana, 5-0 in their semi finals match played at the Warri stadium on Wednesday, thus setting the stage for a final clash between Nigeria and Ghana on Friday.

Regardless of Friday's scoreline, the Queens and the Falcons have emerged as Africa's representatives to the FIFA Women's World Cup slated for the People's Republic of China in September next year.

Friday's encounter will be the second time the two teams would be meeting at the finals. The first was in 1998 when Nigeria won the game. While the Queens would be on record as the team to have conceded less number of goals, the Falcons would be riding high with the highest goals scored so far in the tournament.

The Falcons, bolstered by the heavy home crowd, are heavily tipped to win the finals to call the bluff of the Ghanaians who had silenced them 1-0 in their group match. This was however, dismissed by the Queens, who said they are looking forward to the final with a lot of hope.

"Just as the Falcons think they are poised for action, so are we. We are well prepared and would not return to Ghana without the cup," Coach Oko Aryee told the Ghana News Agency in Warri.

The Ghanaians, who have not lost any match, said they intend to maintain that record after all five matches. Coach Aryee admitted that the expected heavy home crowd could impact negatively on the performance of the Queens, but said his side was psyched up for the intimidation.

"We have had no support ever since we beat the Falcons and we know Friday will be worse. We have already psyched ourselves up against the situation."

On her part, skipper Alberta Sackey, leading goal scorer of the tournament, said she expects her team to put in its best and face the Falcons "squarely", come Friday. "We are not going to be a walk-over this time around. Just as they are ready to surprise us, so are we," she said, adding that with God on their side, nothing could detract their attention.

South Africa's Bayana Bayana and the Lioness of Cameroon would also play on Friday for the third place, ahead of the finals at the Warri City Stadium.