Adana Nwaneri: Abia Angels unveil former Super Falcons defender as head coach

By Oyediji Oluwaseun Babatunde

Nigeria Women Football League (NWFL) Premiership side, Abia Angels has unveiled former national team defender, Adana Nwaneri as the Club’s new Head Coach.

Nwaneri was unveiled by the Club ahead of the 2024/2025 season in Umuahia on Wednesday.

In the presence of Abia State Commissioner for Sports and Youth Development, Nwaobialor Ananaba and the Club Chairman, Jay Jay Nwosu, the coach was unveiled to the delight of the team staff.

The coach is bringing her experience to the team as national U-17 girls Assistant Coach at the last FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in India.

She was part of Bankole Olowookere’s coaching staff that won Nigeria’s first bronze medal at the World Cup in 2022.

At the club level, she coached Invincible Angels and was part of Heartland Queen’s coaching crew at the last NWFL Premiership Super Six, the Club’s first appearance at the season-ending tournament.

Before coaching, Adana played for the Nigeria’s senior women’s national team.

She was part of the team that reached the quarter-final of the 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup in the United States of America (USA), the Super Falcons’ best performance so far at the Mundial.

This will be Nwaneri’s second stint with the Club.

Last season, Abia Angels escaped relegation with a seventh-placed finish after amassing 14 points from 14 games, the same as relegated Royal Queens.

After escaping relegation by goal difference, the focus is to maintain their league status next season under Nwaneri.