Coach Randy Waldrum has expressed satisfaction with the quality of players in the Super Falcons’ camp ahead of the African champions’ Turkish Women’s Cup opener against CSKA Moscow’s ladies squad at the Emir Sports Complex, Antalya on Thursday.

“I am really impressed with the group as a whole; I am happy to see players show so much talent. The opportunity to see a lot of players is really important to me especially this year that is not a qualification year.

“I want to expand the net to look at the other foreign-based and local players.”

While admitting that Nigeria has an abundance of talented players, the American tactician asserted that the pool of players must necessarily be expanded to look far and near and get the very best to represent Nigeria.

“We need to give opportunity especially to the young players that are up and coming from the various age-grade National Teams. Some of the players who featured at the last FIFA World Cup are getting older. It is important to develop the young players, give them confidence and get them ready for the next two FIFA World Cups. It is very important to look at the players in the domestic league.”

The former Coach of Trinidad and Tobago looked ahead and stated his vision, saying he wants to build on the accomplishments of the nine-time African champions and see how to push them up as credible contenders for global glory.

“The goal is to consistently qualify from the group stage, have a deep run in the FIFA World Cup and push hard to become champions.”

The Super Falcons will take on CSKA Moscow at the Emir Sports Complex in Antalya on Thursday at 8.30am, before further clashes with the women’s National Team of Uzbekistan on Saturday (5pm) and with Nzalang National of Equatorial Guinea (2008 and 2012 African champions) on Tuesday next week (9am).

NFF partners UK-based company on digitization, technological solutions

The Nigeria Football Federation has approved a proposal by a UK-based global information and communication technology service company, AJ Consult, to embark on the digitalization of certain operations of the Federation alongside developing wholisitc software to solve the general needs of the football-governing body.

AJ Consult prides itself on capacity to offer innovative software development, hardware development, IT outsourcing and consulting services, and “actively helping governments and global corporations to transform and address critical business issues by applying innovative information technology solutions.”

It also has “unparalleled experience and comprehensive capabilities across verticals and business functions,” enabling businesses to “reduce time-to-market and drive transformational growth. Our global delivery and mature engagement models are designed to improve efficiency, governance and predictability. We constantly innovate and implement new methodologies, frameworks and best practices giving our clients the winning edge.”

The company will develop, among other platforms and solutions, all-in-one media/communication platform for media management, technical team platform and a third-party performance monitoring management system, game-day data management system, record management solution in form of e-library and online live media platform for viewers via pay-per-view format.

NFF General Secretary, Dr Mohammed Sanusi, stated that “the present NFF administration is one that is untiring in seeking new and refreshing ways of doing things, and upscaling its methods and strategies to meet with ever-changing technological demands. This desire for new thinking, new formats and conformity with global best practice in all our operations informed certain decisions and resolutions that have accorded the Pinnick-led NFF remarkable national and international regard, and won it global appeal as it works assiduously towards achieving self-funding.

“Our acceptance of this proposal is based on the need to take our media and communication operations to new levels with the tremendous opportunities available in the digital communication space of today.”  

Naomi Osaka emphatically ended Serena Williams’s latest bid for a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam crown with a straight-sets demolition in the Australian Open semi-finals Thursday (Feb 18).

The Japanese third seed swept past the American veteran 6-3, 6-4 on Rod Laver Arena in front of thousands of fans allowed back in after Melbourne lifted a snap five-day lockdown.

She will face American Jennifer Brady, who beat Czech Karolina Muchova 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 in the other semis, on Saturday for a fourth Slam title after her success at Flushing Meadows in 2018 and last year, and Melbourne in 2019.

The victory left Williams, who won her last major in Melbourne in 2017, stranded on 23 Grand Slam titles as she strives to match Margaret Court’s all-time record.

Since winning while pregnant in Australia four years ago, Williams has lost four Slam finals, including one to Osaka in a controversial and heated 2018 US Open decider which left both women in tears.

“I hit a lot of unforced errors in the first few games, I was just really nervous and scared,” said Osaka, who reeled off five games in a row in the opening set after going 2-0 down.

“But then I sort of eased my way into it and the biggest thing for me was having fun.”

“For me, it’s always an honour to play her and I didn’t want to go out (of the tournament) really bad, so I just tried my best,” she added.

While Osaka held a 2-1 head-to-head advantage going into the blockbuster clash, 39-year-old Williams had a huge edge on big-match experience.

Ahead of the showdown, she had won all eight of her previous semi-finals at Melbourne Park stretching back 18 years to when she beat Kim Clijsters on her way to her first title in Australia.

Her first ever Grand Slam semi, against Lindsay Davenport at 1999 US Open, was played when Osaka was just one.

But the 23-year-old boasted a 100 percent win record in Slams when she got past the fourth round, and she kept it intact Thursday.

Williams worked hard on her fitness during the off-season and quickly asserted herself, breaking Osaka straight away with the Japanese sensation having issues with the sun and ball toss.

She consolidated by holding serve, with Osaka guilty of five unforced errors in the opening two games.

Osaka said before the match she still felt intimidated seeing Williams on the other side of the net, but her early nerves soon settled.

She saved a break point in the next game and got off the mark with an ace, then broke back to level the scores at 2-2 when Williams sent a forehand long.

Now well and truly in her groove, with her forehand doing most of the damage, Osaka won five games in a row, and the set, to leave Williams stunned.

She broke again on Williams’s opening serve of the second set, with the American screaming: “Make a shot, make a shot!”

With the crowd roaring her on, Williams stayed in touch and Osaka’s eighth double fault gave her the American a break back.

But it was a short-lived reprieve with Osaka breaking again and calmly serving out for victory.