By Idowu Ola (China Daily)
Updated: 2007-09-21 07:25

Before the Super Falcon of Nigeria crashed out of the FIFA Women's World Cup 2007, currently being held in China, football maniac Nigerians believed that the country's victories in the game are tied to Asian soil. The exit of the Super Falcon probably dispels this belief.

The belief is based on the Golden Eaglet's three victories in the FIFA U-17 men's football competition, all on Asian soil.

First in China 1985, then Japan 1993, and recently in South Korea. Only Nigeria and Brazil have won this cup three times while Ghana won it twice in Italy 1991 and Ecuador 1995. Nigerians have thus remained the African champions in this category of football competition. It has also secured the hosting rights for the 2009 competition.

Nigeria is also the undisputed African champions in women soccer, having won the CAF women championship seven times since its inception in 1991.

But Super Falcon's performance at the world championships have not been good.

Incidentally Super Falcon's participation in the China 2007 was its first on Asian soil since Nigeria started appearing at the championships. Nigeria was not present at the inaugural tournament in 1991 also in China, which was won by the United States.

When the three U-17 men's championships hosted on Asian soils were won by Nigeria, football lovers in the country began to wonder whether this feat could be attributed entirely to chance.

Now that the Super Falcon has crashed out of China 2007, attention has now shifted to the 2008 Olympic Games, also to be hosted by China. The Nigerian men's football team has appeared five times at the Olympics winning the gold medal in Atlanta 1996. The Nigerian women's football team has appeared twice placing 8th and 6th in Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004, respectively. Both teams have again qualified for the finals at the Beijing 2008 Olympics.

If the belief of Nigerians is to hold true then Africa can look forward to winning the two gold medals at stake in the football competition at the Beijing Olympics. However to achieve this feat, Nigerian football teams will have to work harder especially the women's team.

The Nigerian women's team has shown to be on the weak side when playing against teams such as China, Sweden and the United States.

One wonders what is present in the Nigerian men's junior team that gives them the comparative advantage when playing other teams, but is lacking in our women's football team.

Is it black super power? Extraordinary skills? Or excellent coaching?

The author is a researcher with the Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Obafemi Awolowo University

(China Daily 09/21/2007 page11)