 Welcome back. It's still the breakfast and plus TV Africa and now to sports. We have joining us a sports journalist Monday Thomas Who provide as usual superb analysis? So we look at the West the women's African Cup of Nations 2022 of course Niger Supergirls into the semifinals of the competition after defeating Eternal rivals came run by a single goal a goal scored by Rashidat, Ajib Adi Of course propelling Nigeria and not just to the semifinals of the Wafkan 2022 but also the victory qualifies a team for the ninth consecutive World Cup appearance. So I'm calling it the one million Dollar game Mother Thomas, why is this called a one million dollar game? You know, why is it so important not just on the qualification terms for the World Cup, but also the money as well Good morning bottles. It's great to join you this morning. We are all bouncing laughing and dancing as Nigerians It's not quite a surprise because the ladies are always delivering The ladies are always doing better than the men, but you can't judge the men's football by what the ladies are doing They're doing great. I don't want people to always say that the ladies are always better than the men because They're in a different category. Well talking about what happened yesterday And now we're reflecting to the first game we saw when Nigeria lost against South Africa In that first game, it looked like we were all clueless. It looked like one the world had nothing to offer to the girls but you know Sometimes slow and steady does it football is a game of patience He might have made some mistakes in the first game with the players. He started But look at what happened yesterday against the physical against the very very strong Cameroonians Nigeria lost that particular game because the coach Had some changes in the midfield or Kobe came on Rita Chiquila sat on the bench. Ainda was in the middle of the park Rajita Jibade was running down the flocks like no man's business So every department in the Super Super Falcons have improved And this is what football is all about football is about bettering your best Getting better than how you were in your previous game And just as you call it a one million dollar game, of course, clinging that 225 thousand dollars from calf and 750 thousand from FIFA for qualifying to the women's Biggest football fiesta, which is the world cup later on next year. It's what's celebrating. It's what to it's what Looking at and of course, but I think it's not over yet. We are taking off morocco I think on monday and it's not over. We are the champions We need to defend this title and I heard from Wendy Waldron this morning He's saying there is one more box that needs to be checked And that is winning the women's cup at nation for the tenth time All right, just before we get into that, let's also look at, you know The team as a whole a lot of persons are super excited that, you know, despite We're losing that game but, you know, at the end of the day, we have a win here And some people are saying this team Is not entirely complete because they lack Caucasic play like, you know, that's not there. And so the need to get to a point where there's Fluid football being played playing for a long time so they can actually play, you know, a cohesive game Do you think that it really matters? Is that really an issue? With the team? I think I think it is because Football cannot be an individual business football is a team business. I can remember Thomas Schumuler Said something earlier this year He said German players will not always come up top at the ballon door But they've won more world cups than many side that have players in the ballon door And that that's what really matters in football playing as a collection really matters and When you have a team working for you in three, four, five competitions You know that You are going to have a stronger team every time you come out of the major competition So when you want to understand this better than keeping this group of ladies who are eager to impress Take a look at the bench in light of a gift Monday If you give her a chance She will certainly punch above our weights because she wants to get the number nine jersey And sadly enough, it's a goodbye by Shisha Shola who is not playing at the tournament any longer If former nominu is also on the the standby list. She did great Greatly yesterday without assist to Rashida Rajibadeh I've got a question for Rashida Rajibadeh because of how she played yesterday I'm wondering if she's single because Every night dream is in love with her So that was that that's what happened when you play as a team Not just one year Two years three years and you become formidable because football is a game of experience and you need to have some numbers of experience I'm not talking about over age But experienced players you can have experience at the age of 24. Look at the likes of uh, Namazieh, uh Shea Makan Nado Ziedegolkepa Prolific for Paris FC right there in the front to women Ligon and look at her She's kept three clinches. She's not considered a single goal at this women's calpination That speaks of having experience at the age of 21 22 so Keep on exposing this latest to major competition major friendly. Thank goodness the NFF have confirmed that uh on the sixth and uh thing 13th of satember The super Falcons would take on america in the united states of america So that is another opportunity Another avenue where these ladies can get to play themselves again and see how they can better their current best But for them for me, it's not yet over the women's calpination They need to clinch that 10th title because it's like we've not gained the wrist respect I know if some people are still doubting that the super falcons can not win it for the 10th time And you know when you win a trophy for the 10th time, it's always very big like the Real Madrid They won the Ladesima back in 2014. It was a big celebration And I can't wait for that big celebration to of course happen here in the country as well cut sea of the super falcons of Nigeria Interesting that you mentioned a sea shutter or shawla Nigeria's top striker who's been with them? in morocco the the football governing body had to come out to say that As NFF that she'll be returning to spain yesterday thursday Following the injury that she sustained Of course step by confirming that she was officially out for the rest of the wafkan How do you think you know her absence has affected the team you mentioned that a bit? But I want you to talk about that some more Can Nigeria Make it to winning this trophy without as she said I think I know your answer But just talk about her absence and how it's affected the team and how you think they can they can cope it out her We're already told you about the constellation of stars We have in the country that these players are ready to step up to the plate I've even mentioned the list the bilesa united heat woman gift monday who if you give a chance She will step up big time So I think she's out of shawla bean absence in the squad as a blessing in disguise because before this tournament She was accused. She was a lager of not bringing our very best to Nigeria but she's always scoring goals to vassalona and I'm not saying that we were praying for this injury But this injury came and we've met the best out of it. I think the super falcons Can win the title without ashish out of shawla. Well talking about ashish out of shawla. Yesterday she was included in the shut listed team the shut listed list for the women's calf award later on in the month, so let's just wait But I think for certain that Nigeria can win the trophy for the 10 time without ashish out of shawla I'm about moving forward. I mean very exciting But some people think that we would definitely crash out with our encounter with Morocco And you understand that you all have ordered teams who've played, you know, the best of teams in Africa talking about, you know, the walk up full qualifiers for the women but Do you think that we can we can survive it because would be faces a good thing that Would also encounter teams like, you know, America the Friendlies, but will we survive? You know that encounter with Morocco when then you have Japan and then you have to play, you know with the United States. These are very very strong teams Yeah, I must say that the game against the Atlas line assist of Morocco is certainly a very feisty and a very tasty encounter You've seen the Moroccans how they play sleeky sexy football and you see that they're the most improved North African side and for the first time in history in North African side We were playing at the FIFA Women's World Cup representing Africa They're not here to play when you are the host nation It's not just about the players. It's about the pride of the whole nation So Morocco are gonna give Nigeria a strong battle But I I see the Super Falcons coming coming out top after this encounter, but it's not going to be easy I will urge you one day one jump to take at this previous game. Look at how we can improve Because I believe that you can always better your best Um, uh, you've talked about the the sleeky sexy football of the Moroccans Uh, we certainly will be watching that game. You've talked about, um, you know, how how the chances of the Falcons or the Super Falcons rather against them Looking at the performance of Nigeria against South Africa the Falcons Falcons against South Africa Looking at the performance against the lionesses of Cameroon Um, and I mean some words from the Cameroonian women's coach Gabriel Zabo, you know, he said his girls matched Nigeria's Super Falcons strength for strength But the Falcons unbeatable experience was different You know, and uh, he he gave some his thoughts of as to why his teams his team lost to Nigeria And he said that the Super Falcons weren't better than the Cameroonians This happens to be the ninth time in 13 games Nigeria has defeated the Cameroonians Do you think the gap between Uh, the Super Falcons as a powerhouse in African women's football and the rest of the continent has become so narrow That um, it's not to be taken for granted anymore than the Falcons will win a game All right, like I like you like I rightly mentioned that Morocco have really improved in the past years And I think football in Africa has taken a new turn. It's not going to be one man's business It's not going to be just the Super Falcons But right now in this competition the Super Falcons are a team to beat When you compare the first game and the previous game yesterday, you see that they have improved Largely and in how they are playing So If you say that it's almost going to be like the farmer's league like what we see in the Bundesliga It's going to be until the 10th time when Nigeria wins the title And maybe the next competition We are going to see people try to overthrow the Super Falcons, but this time I think it's for the Falcons of Nigeria So still staying with the Falcons you have talked about how to improve their best and uh moving forward from a different dimension Getting into you know the game proper What ever do you think that the Super Falcons need to pay attention to? They need to pay attention to their strike force many a time uh many a times in uh yesterday's game I saw a former nominee always alone. She was isolated So they should try to play more with the number nine because even towards Shisharo Shola I'm very sure she won't take it likely with uh with the players always leaving our off-front alone But I know we also need to improve in our midfield like what we did We were really compacted in the midfield when the Waldrum got that one spot on but if former nominee was left alone Many a time in that particular particular game and on for that uh brilliant cross for uh for from if former to Rajid al-Jibadi I think we should just work as a team I think Rajid al-Jibadi should play as a second number nine because she's got the finishing She's got three goals. She's the highest goal scorer joint highest goal scorer with the Moroccan Chevak Jislin So she should play as a second number nine to Be former nominee we should be able to be clinical Take our chances when we have it So that's what we should improve on the number nine uh strike force It's not really formidable for me And I think they need to work on that if they will want to get past the Moroccans All right Let's look at the other semi-final pairing South Africa joining Zambia Morocco and Nigeria and the semi-finals to pick the walk-up ticket What are your thoughts on on the other the other two? These countries that come from the uh the east Africa slash south africa southern africa block You know, you think they're they're rising and you know, you know becoming stronger in african football I mean the the garrians are nowhere to be found in other west africans are nowhere near this this stage of the tournament Well, because they are nowhere near it doesn't mean that uh, they are minors as far as that women's african football is concerned There's always another competition for them to prove themselves. But with the likes of zambia They're also very physical also plays some great football in this tournament but you know south africa with the uh to the under under the tutelage of The coach g-zerry at least they've been playing fantastically. Well, even when the uh, talis woman 10 being katlana got that injury that robchart kill it 10 They are also producing some great performance. I mean, it's a business side of the tournament One goal can get your win. So when you get that one goal defending with everything you have just like we saw the super Falcons yesterday and as well as the south africans against tunisia So that other time south africa against zambia. I think zambia are going to shock south africa They've got the pace They've got the ability even with without the likes of babra banda. So this tournament are really seen Teams not playing without your stars and guess what they're doing better So like I said football is a game of collection. We can't depend on one person To do the job for you. So zambia for me are going to shock uh south africa And i'm seeing like jure tick on zambia in the finals and you know in the finals what happens You're going to be winning the finals for the 10th time if we go there that that would be a sort of a repeat female version of the tunisia 90 is it tunisia 92 now? Yeah, nation's cup You know your history Yes, indeed. Yes, indeed. All right. So quickly 94 rather. Sorry. All right Uh, we need to you know get going now and just before then I like to put you on that spot. What would you say? Uh predictions for the game Super Falcons Uh and marco on monday It's going to be a two on victory in favor of the super falcons and jure will score twice Before morocco scored the consolation goal because the other host nation They need something to cheer about monday monday thomas issue. She called the octopus I'll call you give the name octopus if your prediction comes right exactly the way you said it I'll give you more predictions because I think this is my calling. Wow. I need to hook up with you Let's make some money together, bro But um, the ufo women's hero tournament is going on Yes, yes, it's been a women's season. Yes, it's a women's season. Um What are your thoughts on on the organization of the wafcon 2022 looking at what's happening across The atlantic in in england Um, have we been able to build up a standard bit? You know to a respectable level to be able to you know compete with what's happening in in with ufo Okay, one thing I i've seen about the wafcon and the women's heroes. Yes. I think we've seen beautiful peaches Yeah The stadium the facilities in which they are playing executing this particular tournament both for the wafcon and the women's heroes I mean the facilities are up to standard But when we talk about attractive football or we talk about clinical passing one touch football I think the europeans are doing much better than we are doing and we get to see that at the world cup as well Because they're always dominating. I mean i'm junior nine time champions And they've not even made it made it to the semifinals of the world cup before So for now for now The women's uh, it's much more attractive the organization and how everything is set up But in the coming years Africa is getting to that. All right. Well, what about the standard of officiating, you know, I've seen that in this wafcon you have, you know, for instance deployment of A video assistant referee vr and all that technology being used You know More female referees than we have in normal uh in the male tournaments and they're doing, you know, maybe well So what's being your view on the level of officiating so far? It's good. I mean, it's fair. I saw the game You know women's football can be very very difficult to officiate Because you need to understand from a woman's perspective What would bring down ronaldo? Might angel So it's different to officiate women's football. So that's why I would I would give them credit We also have Nigerian referees right there our patients madhu had a brilliant game. I think in the last Group b encounter. So I will I will give them a fair mark Well monday thomas. Thank you so much for Speaking with us and being part of the show. We appreciate all of the insight and analysis that you brought It is always a pleasure joining the breakfast show on plus tv And I much appreciate you for having me on the show this morning You have a fantastic friday And that's the size of our conversation if you missed out on a part of it It will be all right to follow us on facebook twitter instagram and do subscribe to youtube channel That's a plus tv africa plus tv africa lifestyle. My name is messi ibuppo. Have a great friday Yes, indeed. My name is kofi burtel. So we'll be back on monday Have a great weekend. Good morning