The Super Falcons’ quintet of Ashleigh Plumptre, Francisca Ordega, Vivian Ikechukwu, Halimatu Ayinde, and Ifeoma Onumonu would not be part of the training sessions as the team reported to camp in Abuja yesterday ahead of the 12th Women Africa Cup of Nations finals in Morocco next month.
The players will join the rest of the squad in North Africa next week, according to the Nigeria Football Federation, while Nicole Payne, Uchenna Kanu, Desire Oparanozie, and Regina Otu are due in Abuja this weekend.
Head Coach Randy Waldrum and assistants have the interesting challenge of quality and quantity of players – a useful blend of the old guard, talented youngsters from the home front and a number of skillful foreign-born stars who have been holding their own brilliantly.
As at time of press, there were 19 players in camp, including captain Onome Ebi, alongside goalkeepers Chiamaka Nnadozie and Tochukwu Oluehi, defenders Osinachi Ohale and Akudo Ogbonna, midfielders Rita Chikwelu and Rasheedat Ajibade, and forwards Francisca Ordega, Asisat Oshoala and Gift Monday.
Nigeria, who have won nine of the 11 Women Africa Cup of Nations championships held so far, bundled out Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire in the qualifying series and will play South Africa, Botswana and Burundi in the group stages in Morocco.
They go up against the Banyana Banyana in their first match at the Prince Heritier Moulay Hassan Stadium in Rabat on Monday, 4th July, before matches against Botswana (Thursday, 7th July) and Burundi (Sunday, 10th July) at the same venue.
All four semi finalists at the tournament in Morocco will qualify to represent Africa at the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia/New Zealand in the summer of 2023.
Meanwhile, the Super Falcons have maintained their 39th position in the latest women’s ranking released by the Federation of International Football Association (FIFA) on Friday and remain number one in Africa.
