By Sulayman Bah
It certainly will be moment of power test for Gambia’s Queen Scorpions as they face reigning African champions Nigeria this Wednesday.
Scheduled for the Independence Stadium at 4pm, the first of a double-legged Women’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifier game has had many talking with pundits predicting minimal chance over Gambia progressing past Nigeria.
Boasting with an embarrassment of foreign-based player contingent, The Super Falcons of Nigeria touched down in Banjul yesterday after traveling over Sunday night.
Gaffer Thomas Dennerby’s Nigerian outfit having been putting the final touches in the build-up to this tie. Their final exhibition game against a much equipped U-17 male Nigeria national team side ended with the Falcons enduring a lone goal defeat.
Star players 24-year-old Desire Oparanozie based in France and Sophia Omotola Omidiji plying her trade with Dutch Division one side Excelsior, made some impression in the fixture and would be eying replicating the show when they come up against the Queen Scorpions.
Hosts Gambia aren’t tipped to make much in-roads in this showdown against the 10-time African champions with many anticipating the meeting to be more of damage limitation exercise for the hosts.
However, Mariam-Bum Sowe remains buoyed up about pulling off a major upset.
Gambia, meanwhile, have named a strong squad for the must-watch Wednesday episode with striker Adama Tamba, pictured above, to headline the team.
Both teams are planning making the group stage of Women’s Africa Cup of Nations to be hosted by Ghana this year.
The return fixture will be held in Lagos at the Agege Stadium June 11th.
