Precious Dede backs Nigeria to progress past Women’s World Cup group stage

By Oyediji Oluwaseun Babatunde

Former Nigeria senior women’s national team goalkeeper Precious Dede has advised Super Falcons players to remain focused as the Women’s World Cup would be a different ball game.

Nigeria will battle Canada, co-host Australia and Ireland in Group B of this year’s championship as the West Africans make their ninth appearance at the global showpiece, from July 20 to August 20.

The four-time FIFA Women’s World Cup participant and 2015 former India U17 goalkeeper trainer has urged the team not to underrate any country ahead of their campaign.

“I wish the team the best of luck. I know that this World Cup is going to be a different one. Based on the group they are in, I know it’s going to be a different ball game,” Dede told Brila FM.

“I know that they will definitely come out of the group. What I would tell the players is that they should put in their very best from the first game.

“They should not underrated any country because definitely as I am seeing it they will surely beat all the teams in their group, Canada, Australia, and Ireland.”

The West African powerhouse is by far Africa’s most successful international women’s football team winning a record nine Women’s Africa Cup of Nations titles, with their most recent title in 2018, after defeating South Africa in the final, but is yet to replicate the same feat at the World Cup.

The former African champions is the only women’s national team from the Africa to have reached the quarterfinals in both the FIFA Women’s World Cup and Football at the Summer Olympics.