Soccer News of Monday, 26 April 2004

Source: OJEIKERE AIKHOJE, NIGERIA

Ghana's victory over Nigeria is revenge-Minister

Ghana?s Minister of Education, Youth and Sports, Hon. Rasheed Bawa, has described the 5-0 pounding of Nigeria?s Female Academicals by their Ghanaian counterparts, in the finals of the First West African Academicals Football Championship, in Lagos, Nigeria, last Saturday, as ?sweet revenge.?

The Minister disclosed this to ghanaweb shortly after the Ghanaian girls hammered Nigeria at the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos.

According to him: ?It is a very good victory for us for two reasons. One, to re-establish Ghana?s as the best football nation in the continent. Two, sweet revenge. Valentine?s Day, February 14, the Falcons came to Accra and defeated us. That defeat has in fact affected the psyche of the whole nation. This is the beginning of redeeming that particular defeat. This is a good statement that the girls have made this afternoon.?

Asked to comment on the future of the girls, Bawa replied: ?This is a team that we are harnessing for the future women?s team in Ghana. You can see these are young girls we picked from Senior Secondary Schools. We are going to put them together.?

In spite of the defeat, Bawa described the Nigerian team as a strong side considering the fact that both sides played a one-all draw in their first meeting.

Last Saturday?s victory over Nigeria is the second by a Ghanaian team over Nigeria.

It would be recalled that Ghana?s female national team, the Black Queens shocked Nigeria?s Super Falcons by a lone goal in a group match during the last African Women Championship, in Warri, two years ago.