By Johnny Edward:
Mercy Akide-Udoh is anticipating a competitive 2018 Africa Women’s Cup of Nations in Ghana when the tournament kicks off reports Completesportsnigeria.com.
The tournament will begin from the 17th November to the 1st December 2018 and it will be hosted in two cities, Accra and the Cape Coast.
Eight time champions, Nigeria’s Super Falcons have been drawn alongside rivals South Africa, Kenya and Zambia in group B while in group A, 2016 finalists, Cameroon will battle, Ghana, Mali and Algeria for the two automatic spots.
In group B, the rivalry between the Super Falcons and their South African counterparts has spanned over a decade with the Thomas Dernnerby side dominating in the past meetings between the two sides.
The Super Falcons have won seven of their last eight encounters and their ninth meeting will be one clash the current head coach of Regent University women’s soccer team in the United States of America, Akide-Udoh will be looking forward to.
Another feisty encounter at the tournament will be in group A, where Ghana will be looking to avenge their 1-0 semi-final loss to Cameroon at the 2016 edition when they meet in their final group game on the 23rd of November at the Accra stadium.
“Looking forward to this year’s @CAF_AWCON. Looks like there will be some very competitive games. Let’s go, girls! #AWCON2018,” she tweeted through her handle @MarvellousMercy.
Akide-Udoh made her debut for the Super Falcons in 1994 and featured for Nigeria at three FIFA Women’s World Cup (1995, 1999, 2003).
The 43 year old was a member of the Super Falcons squad at the Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004 Olympic Games. Akide-Udoh also helped Nigeria’s Super Falcons win three Africa Women’s Cup of Nations titles in 1998, 2000 and 2002.
In 2001, Akide-Udoh was named the first African Women’s Footballer of the Year and listed in the 1999 and 2004 FIFA World All-Star.