Invitational Tournament: Super Falcons Face China’s Steel Roses on Thursday

Nigeria’s Super Falcons will face China’s Steel Roses on Thursday in a Four-Nation Invitational Football Tournament at the Huitang Stadium.

The Nigeria Football Federation said the competition forms part of the team’s preparations for the FIFA Women’s World Cup in France.

Korea Republic and Romania, the other teams in the tournament, will meet in the opening fixture on the same day.

The Super Falcons arrived in China on Tuesday and held their first training session at the Wu Hua Olympic Sports Centre of the Huitang Stadium on Wednesday.

The winners of the Nigeria-China clash will advance to Sunday’s final, where they will face the winners of the Korea Republic-Romania match.

The losing teams will meet in the third-place playoff, also scheduled for Sunday.

A victory for Nigeria over China, combined with a Korea Republic win against Romania, would set up a potentially significant final between the Super Falcons and the Koreans.

Such a meeting would serve as a preview of their FIFA Women’s World Cup Group A encounter scheduled for France later in the year.

Meanwhile, several overseas-based players, including Faith Michael, Rita Chikwelu, Ini-Abasi Umotong and Chinaza Uchendu, have joined the Super Falcons squad in China.