2007 Women's World Cup Preview - Nigeria

Soccer Betting Lines

09/05/2007 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Nigeria enters the World Cup as the forgotten team in Group B, easily the toughest in the tournament.

The African champions are ranked 24th in the world, which doesn't bode well in a group with the United States, Sweden and North Korea - all ranked in the top five in the world.

Nigeria does have plenty of World Cup experience, playing in all four previous tournaments. Although the Super Falcons have just two wins in 13 previous Cup games - both in 1999 when they advanced to the elimination stage - they are a dangerous team.

"I believe the 2007 World Cup is going to be good to us," Nigeria coach Effiom Ntiero told FIFA's website.

Nigeria features one of the best goal-scoring duos in the Cup in FIFA Player of the Year nominee and reigning African Woman Footballer of the Year Cynthia Uwak, and two-time African Woman Football of the Year Perpetua Nkwocha.

Uwak and Nkwocha combined for 13 goals in five games as the Super Falcons won their fifth straight African Women's Championship to automatically qualify for the Cup.

Now Nigeria just has to find a way to excel on the world stage, and being the "other" team in Group B may be to its advantage.

"When it comes to football," said Uwak, only 22, "we're highly passionate and motivated."

Uwak fits that description perfectly.

She was a star for Nigeria at the Under-20 World Cup last year, scoring four goals in the tournament. Then she scored six goals, including a pair of two- goal games, in the team's run to the Asian Championships title.

"Uwak is a fantastic player and one of the players that I am ready to push to any level because she is blessed by nature. She plays beautifully well, takes risks to get the goals and has wonderful ball control," Ntiero said. "It is safe to say that she has everything that you need in a footballer. Above all, she scores when you least expect."

Uwak has honed her skills in Finland's tough women's league, scoring 17 goals for FC United Pietarsaari last year despite missing time for the U-20 Cup.

"We could have won the league if we hadn't lost Uwak to the U-20 World Cup," Pietarsaari coach Carl-August Lof told FIFA's website.

Uwak's emergence at such a young age has motivated her to be an even better player. When she learned she was nominated for FIFA Player of the Year, she couldn't believe it.

"It has been a great source of motivation for me. It has made me feel more confident about my abilities and also to look ahead to great heights. My aim now is always to do more than I am doing at the moment so that I can climb even higher in my profession," Uwak told the African Football Federation website.

Despite rumors that Nigeria great Mercy Akide might come out of retirement for the tournament, she's not on the roster.

Akide played in the last three Cups for Nigeria but retired from international play in 2004. At just 32, there was speculation the two-time FIFA World All- Star would re-join the club. Although she reportedly wanted to return to the team, a previous falling out with Ntiero led to her not playing.

PAST ACHIEVEMENTS:

-- FIFA World Cup qualifier: 1991, 1995, 1999, 2003, 2007.

-- FIFA World Cup quarterfinalist: 1999.

-- African Championship first: 1991, 1995, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006.

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