Int’l friendly: Super Falcons to play US twice in September

Super Falcons are set to face the United States in a pair of exhibition games scheduled for September.

The friendly games were announced in a statement by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) on Wednesday.

The statement described the clash as “a two-match tour” that would see the four-time World champions host Nigeria on September 3 at Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City.

The pair will also meet again on September 6 at the Audi Field in Washington, D. C.

“Nine-time African champions Nigeria will fly to the United States of America for a two-match tour against the United States Women’s National Team (USWNT) in the month of September,” the statement read.

“Both teams, presently competing in their respective continental tournaments, will clash at the Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City, Kansas on 3rd September and then have a go at each other’s jugular once more at the Audi Field in Washington, D. C. on 6th September.

“The USWNT is the most successful team in the FIFA Women’s World Cup, having won half (4) of all eight championships competed for so far. The Stars & Stripes were champions of the very first edition in China in 1991, and then won on home soil in 1999, in Canada in 2015 and in France three years ago. The team has also won four Olympic women’s football gold medals and eight CONCACAF titles.

“The Super Falcons, billed to face Cameroon in the quarter-finals of the ongoing Women’s Africa Cup of Nations on Thursday evening, have won the African championship nine times, played in every edition of the FIFA Women’s World Cup and also played at the 2000, 2004 and 2008 Olympic women’s football tournament. They remain the most successful women’s team on the African continent.

“The Children’s Mercy Park is home to Kansas City in the US National Women’s Soccer League and Sporting Kansas City in the Major League Soccer, while Audi Field is utilized by National Women’s Soccer League side Washington Spirit and Major League Soccer team, D. C. United.”

The US have already qualified for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. The clash with Nigeria will serve as preparation for the tourney billed for Australia and New Zealand next year.

The Falcons are yet to book a place in the World Cup. They are currently slugging it out for one of the six tickets available to African countries at the ongoing CAF AWCON in Morrocco.

The Falcons play Cameroon in the quarter-final of the AWCON on Thursday and a victory gets them an automatic ticket to the ninth FIFA Women’s World Cup.