Dalung backs Falcons for AWCON

Ahead of Nigeria’s semi final clash against South Africa tonight at the ongoing Africa Women’s  Cup of Nations in Cameroon, the Minister of Youth and Sports, Barrister Solomon Dalung has tipped the Super Falcons to do the nation proud and lift the trophy.

While addressing journalists in Abuja, Dalung praised the unrelenting effort of the team under Florence Omagbemi after their 4-0 trouncing of Kenya in their last group game last week.

“I commend their spirit in the face of daunting challenges which is enough to distract any team in their quest to retain the title they won in 2014. The Super Falcons should be praised for sustaining their tempo in the championship. I am confident that they will definitely come back to Nigeria with the trophy.”

On why he has not intervened in ensuring payment to the senior women’s national team, Dalung said the current recession in the country had contributed to the team’s situation.

“We should appreciate governance in our football administration. We have a pending memo on their funds which we are also pursuing diligently so that we can get the money across to them. It has to do with the situation in the country. The processes of sourcing these funds are not quite easy but we don’t discriminate against any of our teams. The constraints have to do with the paucity of funds which we are working round the clock to ensure that what is meant for them gets across to them,” he said.

Dalung promised to ensure that the memo gets presidential intervention as soon as possible and has urged the players not to lose hope as all their entitlements will be given to them as soon as it is available. He pleaded with them not to relent in their quest for a successive victory against Bayana Bayana of South Africa in the semi-final tonight.