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By Johnny Edward.
The Super Falcons will head into Tuesday’s international friendly encounter with New Zealand at the Mardan Sports Complex on Tuesday (today) looking to record their third successive win in 2023, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
The game will be the Falcons’ last pre-World Cup friendly barring any last-minute arrangement before the Women’s World Cup billed to hold in New Zealand and Australia kicks off from July 20 to August 20.
The Falcons had defeated Haiti 2-1 at the Emirhan Sports Centre last Friday with goals from Esther Okoronkwo and Asisat Oshoala securing the team’s second straight this year under Randy Waldrum.
New Zealand, co-host of the 2023 Women’s World Cup, also played out a 1-1 draw with Iceland at the Mardan Sports Complex.
The nine-time winners of the Africa Womens Cup of Nations who had earlier recorded a lone-goal victory over Costa Rica at the 2023 Women’s Revelations Cup in February, will be desperate to compound the woes of New Zealand who are without a win since October 2022.
The Football Ferns’ last victory was a 2-1 win over The Philippines against the Philippines in Fullerton, California, USA.
Ever since then, Jitka Klimkova’s side have gone nine games without a win – recording seven defeats and two draws conceding 22 goals and scoring only two goals.
They will be desperate to bring it to an end when they face Nigeria in their second friendly on neutral ground in Turkey.
But speaking ahead of the game, Waldrum urged his team to build on the win over Haiti.
“The last 15 minutes of the win over Haiti was chaotic, we must have a plan and stick with it,” Waldrum said.
New Zealand’s coach Jitka Klimkova blamed her side’s poor decision-making in the final third for their winless run.
“The first problem we have to solve is simply getting into the final third – something that has been a persistent challenge for us, “Klimkova told stuff.co.nz.
“We’ve been waiting for this moment (to score) for so long.
“During our (training) sessions we were putting the ball in the back of the net, we were more confident coming into this game and I’m very happy for Hannah Wilkinson that she scored the goal, for herself, for our team and for everyone back in New Zealand.”
Meanwhile, The Football Ferns will be without influential midfielder Olivia Chance after she suffered a knee injury in their last game against Iceland.
Chance was forced off right before halftime during their 1-1 draw at the Mardan Sports Complex in Antalya, Turkey.
The Celtic playmaker went down clutching her left knee after her leg was caught in an awkward position as she and Iceland’s Sveindís Jane Jonsdottir raced for the loose ball.
However, Klimkova is holding out hope it was not more serious, with only 100 days to go until the World Cup this summer.
“It was very quick,” she said.
“During half time (against Iceland), we tried to see if she can play on but unfortunately it looks like her knee, but I have to discuss more with our medical team. Hopefully, it’s nothing major and she will be ready again to play for the Ferns.”
Chance has established herself as one of the key figures in the Football Ferns team during Klimková’s tenure, now a nailed-on starter on the left side of midfield.