2011 Women's World Cup Preview - Nigeria

Jun 25, 2011 - 9:52 PM Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - Nigeria is no stranger to the FIFA Women's World Cup, but it is also no stranger to failure at the tournament.

Despite being the top team in Africa since the tournament debuted in 1991, the Super Falcons have qualified for the previous five events, they have only made the knockout stage once.

Even then, back in 1999, Nigeria was a little overmatched.

The other four times, Nigeria failed to win a match and finished at the bottom of its group.

Although the country's 2-11-2 all-time mark at the tournament can be traced to various problems - mainly being drawn into the toughest group in both 2003 and 2007 - Nigeria didn't receive a break for the 2011 edition in Germany.

Drawn into Group A with two-time defending champion and host Germany, CONCACAF champion Canada and European power Sweden once again will put the African side under pressure just to win a match, let alone escape the group stage.

Nigeria left Africa more than a month before the tournament to prepare for the world's biggest stage to set up training camp in Austria, where coach Eucharia Uche - the first female to ever coach the team - hoped the team would find the secret to success outside their home continent.

Uche became boss after Nigeria lost in Africa for the first time ever, against Equatorial Guinea, and steered the Super Falcons to the 2010 African Women's Football Championship.

Led by captain and goalkeeper Precious Dede and striker and two-time African Player of the Year Perpetua Nkwocha, Nigeria outscored its opponents, 22-6, to capture the title.

It was fitting the championship game was a 4-2 victory over Equatorial Guinea, which also qualified for the Cup as Africa's other representative.

While Nkwocha led the tournament with 11 goals, it was the Dede-led defense on the other end of the field that impressed Uche.

Even with top defender Faith Ikidi unable to join the team because her Swedish club wouldn't allow her to leave for the tournament, the defense "surprised me the most," Uche said, according to FIFA's website.

"They were marvelous the entire tournament," Uche added. "They conceded few goals and did not commit many blunders."

Dede, a veteran of the last two World Cups, insisted "we will be in Germany to make Nigeria proud.

"We have all been expecting another chance to have a go at achieving something better at the world stage."

But for Nigeria to replicate 1999, when it finished second in its group before losing to Brazil in the quarterfinals, Dede, Nkwocha and fellow veteran Stella Mbachu must have incredible tournaments.

And Ebere Orji, Desire Oparanozie, Esther Sunday, who helped Nigeria reach the final of the 2010 FIFA Under-20 Women's World Cup in Germany, a 2-0 defeat to the hosts, must emerge against the top players in the world - although none of the three has reached their 20th birthday.

The Super Falcons open June 26 against France, play Germany on June 30 and end group play against Canada on July 5.

But despite all of Nigeria's success in Africa and on the U-20 level, a defeat to Germany on the senior level late last year left doubt about whether it will break through this summer.

Germany defeated Nigeria, 8-0, in a friendly, but Uche insists "things will be different this time around.

"No team is going to beat us by that margin at the World Cup."

That may be true. But will Nigeria, which is winless in its last seven matches in the World Cup, be able to actually beat anybody in Germany?

History has proven that won't be so easy.

PAST ACHIEVEMENTS:

-- FIFA World Cup qualifier: 1991, 1995, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011.

-- FIFA World Cup quarterfinalist: 1999.