Nigeria Women Football League (NWFL) Championship side, Lakeside Queens manager Ganiyu Oluwatobi says his side are mentally fit to challenge for promotion to the Nigeria Women’s Football League Premiership this season.
Lakeside were pitched in Group B alongside Sunshine Queens, Prince Kazeem Eletu, Delta Babes, Honey Badgers, and Imo Strikers following Friday’s draw ceremony at Remo Stars Stadium.
The Ogun State side gained promotion to the NWFL Championship winning all its games, conceding none in the 2022 Nationwide term.
As they start their quest for the Premiership against Imo Strikers in Sagamu, the manager feels his side are in shape to record success.
“We are ready for the NWFL Championship. A lot of matches have been played by the team. The pre-season games helped us a lot,” Oluwatobi told theNWFL.com.
“We have won almost all our games which shows that the girls are ready and by God’s grace we are going to gain promotion to the Premiership.”
Lakeside exceled in this year’s Federation Cup before they were bounced out by a 5-1 loss to NWFL Premiership side, Edo Queens and team’s captain Okunlola Odunayo echoed her coach’s optimism.
“We have the full courage and also we are ready as individuals and as a team to gain promotion to the Premiership,” she said.
“Either Ikenne or Ebedei Stadium, we are not expecting any home advantage because we believe in ourselves and we allow the FIFA referees to do their jobs but we will appreciate fair officiating from them.”
The Ikenne-based side will hope to continue its pace from last season’s Nationwide when the Championship season kicks off this week.