Japan invites Nigerian women for pre-World Cup

The Japanese Football Federation has reportefly written to its Nigerian counterpart for an international friendly match with the Super Falcons, days before the kick-off of the 5th FIFA Women's World Cup in China in September. "They have offered us two dates, 30 August and 2 September and they said we should communicate to them the date we prefer on time for them to prepare for the match. But the truth is that neither team can be specific until the draw for the finals which takes place in the Chinese city of Wuhan on Sunday. It is a game we will love to play, so close to the start of the championship, but we have to wait for the draw and ensure Nigeria and Japan do not fall into the same group in the first round", Bolaji Ojo-Oba, the Secretary-General of the Nigeria Football Association, told The Vanguard of Lagos.

"Another thing to consider is the movement", he added. "The Japanese want us to come on 30 August or 2 September and then we move back to China . The tickets they are providing for us will be from China to Japan and back to China . So, wherever we decide to camp the team for training tour, they would leave that country and go to Japan and then arrive China ahead of the competition. But we are also aware that if we arrive China before a specific period, we will pay for our stay until when the tournament organisers take over the footing of bills. All the same, we are enthusiastic to play the Japanese and will keep all options open".