By Victor Kanayo
Barely 48 hours after crashing out of the ongoing FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup in Costa Rica, the Nigeria U20 Women’s national team, Falconets, are currently stranded in Istanbul, Turkey.
The two times FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup finalists left Costa Rica on Monday at 6:30am (Nigerian Time).
They were pictured sleeping on bare floor and chairs at the Istanbul Airport after staying at same spot for 24 hours.
According to a source with the team who confided with Heritage Times HT, “The situation got worsen as they have no transit visa to enable them secure accomodation.”
Falconets won all the three group C matches to earn maximum nine points, but their superb performance was put to a halt at the quarter final when Netherlands beat them 2-0.
This is not the first time the national team will suffer similar humiliating circumstance.
Few weeks before their departure from Abuja, Nigeria’s capital to the tournament, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) abandoned them, a situation that forced both players and officials to trek to the venue of their training.
Also, they are yet to get their allowances, just like their senior women counterpart, the Super Falcons after trainings and their participation at international competitions.
Earlier in 2022, Nigeria’s Super Falcons were also delayed in a humiliating circumstance at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja after they defeated Cote d’ivoire to pick a ticket to the just concluded Women African Cup of Nations (WAFCON).
