*Falconets, Flamengos draw byes in World Cup qualifiers
By Duro Ikhazuagbe
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has ignited the rivalry between Nigeria and Ghana by setting the Super Falcons against the Black Queens in the first round of the 2022 African Women’s Cup of Nations in Morocco.
In the first round qualifying draw which took place yesterday at the CAF headquarters in Cairo, some of the power houses of the women’s game in the continent are to be eliminated in this new format introduced by the Ahmad administration.
With the host nation Morocco guaranteed automatic place in the biennial competition, the other 44 teams are to slug it out for the 11 places in the qualifying series for the continental showpiece.
The 44-nation entry is 20 more than the women’s teams that were involved in the preliminaries of the last edition in Ghana in 2018.
The draw that pit Super Falcons against the Black Queens will be the second time the two giants in African women’s football will be meeting in the competition history.
Speaking about the draw, Nigeria’s American Coach, Randy Waldrum said: “I think you always embrace the challenge.
“Obviously the draw is difficult. We have a lot of respect for Ghana and we know the strength and power of that team, but as far as the pressure of the job and the task at hand, I think that’s something that any competitor truly embraces and you know I think the biggest thing for me is I’m just ready to get to work,” he told BBC Sports.
Ghana’s Coach, Mercy Tagoe, is relishing the prospect of facing Nigeria’s Super Falcons.
“When things like this happen, it gives you the strength to work extra hard when Ghana is meeting Nigeria, it is like tug of war,” Tagoe said.
“Nigeria respects Ghana, and Ghana also respects Nigeria so much but we need to put in more effort so that we are able to be abreast with whatever plans that we have.
“For now, we need to go and prepare well to meet Nigeria. It’s unfortunate that our first game we are meeting Nigeria, but nothing is impossible,” Tagoe added
In the other fixtures, South Africa will battle Mozambique, while Kenya will slug it out with South Sudan in the first round and Uganda take on neighbors Ethiopia, while Malawi meet Zambia. Elsewhere, Tanzania welcome Namibia, Zimbabwe lock horns with Eswatini and Angola engage Botswana while Algeria host Sudan.
Tunisia will face Egypt, Equatorial Guinea are scheduled to visit DR Congo while Sao Tome and Principe will take on Togo.
Congo will do battle with Gabon with Sierra Leone completing the fixtures with the trip to The Gambia.
The first round is scheduled to start in June 2021 and the winners will progress to the second which will come up in October 2021.
Also yesterday, in the draw for the U20 FIFA Women’s World Cup which will be hosted by Costa Rica next year, the Falconets were drawn bye into round two, where they will play the winner of the fixture between Equatorial Guinea and Central Africa Republic.
The second round games will hold 23rd – 25th Septemberand 7th – 9thOctober, with the third round matches in December this year.
In the draw for the U17 FIFA Women’s World Cup that will be hosted by India, the Flamengos have been drawn to the second round where they await the winner of the first round fixture pitting Democratic Republic of Congo with Rwanda. The second games will take place in March 2022.
AWCON 1ST ROUND
(Fixtures)
M1 – Uganda v Ethiopia
M2 – Kenya v S’Sudan
M3 – Eritrea v Burundi
M4 – Djibouti v Rwanda
M5 – Malawi v Zambia
M6 – Tanzania v Namibia
M7 – Zimbabwe v Eswatini
M8 – Angola v Botswana
M9 – Mozambique v S’Africa
M10 – Algeria v Sudan
M11 – Egypt v Tunisia
M12 – E’Guinea v DR Congo
M13 – Sao T&P v Togo
M14 – Congo v Gabon
M15 – CAR v Cameroon
U16 – S’Leone v Gambia
U17 – Liberia v Senegal
U18 – Mali v Guinea
M19 – G’Bissau v Mauritania
M20 – B’Faso v Benin
U21 – Nigeria v Ghana
M22 – Niger v Côte d’Ivoire
