Fortress Ladies ready to brave the odds on maiden NWFL Championship challenge

Fortress Ladies, an Edo State-based football team, are making their debut at the 2024 Nigeria Women Football League (NWFL) Championship.Drawing inspiration from the recent success of government-owned Edo Queens, who won a first ever NWFL Premiership title and qualified for the 2024 CAF Women’s Champions League, Fortress Ladies are aiming high in their inaugural season.Under the guidance of coach and chairman Jimmy Aimuagbonrie, the team is focused and prepared, stating, “The girls are in top gear with great team spirit and unity in camp. Mentally, physically and otherwise the team is prepared for the league campaign.”Aimuagbonrie’s goal is clear: promotion to the NWFL Premiership, emphasizing that the team is not participating just to fill numbers but to achieve their set goal. He also extended gratitude to the NWFL for providing the platform for the girls to showcase their talents.In their preparation, Fortress Ladies competed in the second edition of the Ifeanyi Chiejine Memorial Cup (ICMC) in Asaba, where they secured a third-place finish.Skipper Omoruyi Osaiyekemwen is confident about their prospects, stating, “We are preparing very well by the special grace of God. Our target is to get to the NWFL Premiership because it is our first time. We know it won’t be easy but that’s our target.”Osaiyekemwen also mentioned that their exposure to various tournaments and stronger teams has bolstered their confidence, making them ready to face any challenge in the Championship.A successful promotion would make Fortress Ladies the second team from Edo State to achieve top-flight status, joining Edo Queens, and would contribute to increasing the number of privately owned teams in the NWFL Premiership.