By Harry Awurumibe, Editor Abuja Bureau
In a bid to prepare adequately for the defence of the Confederation of Africa Football (CAF) Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) trophy won by Nigeria in 2018 in Ghana, the Super Falcons will open camp in Abuja on Tuesday ahead of their trip to Rabat,
Morocco early next week for a pre-tournament intensive training camp in the host country.
No fewer than 35 players invited by Super Falcons Head Coach Randy Waldrum for the training tour from which he will select 25 players to prosecute the 2022 WAFCON which will hold from July 2 to July 23 in Morocco, have been directed to converge on Abuja from tomorrow Tuesday by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).
Prompt News has exclusively gathered that the players, backroom staff and Nigerian assistant coaches will arrive Abuja camp tomorrow while training will commence on Wednesday, the day the United States-born gaffer and his two compatriots will join the camp to take charge of proceedings.
It can also be confirmed that most of the invited foreign-based players are already in Nigeria as European leagues have since ended just as some of them like Peace Effih who plays club football with Kiryat Gat FC in Isreal have been sighted in Abuja.
Others in the country as at the time of this report are FC Barcelona feminino star Asisat Lamina Oshoala; Paris FC reliable goalkeeper, Chiamaka Cynthia Nnadozie and Christy Ucheibe of SL Benfica of Portugal as well as the defender Glory Ogbonna of Santa Teresa, Spain.
The Super Falcons delegation is expected to depart Abuja on Tuesday June 21, clear 11 days to the start of WAFCON 2022.
Meanwhile, the current Nigeria Women’s Football League (NWFL) top goalscorer, Monday Gift and 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup star, Chidinma Okeke, who were not initially invited to camp but later brought in by Waldrum are among the players in the revised invited list.
**Revised Super Falcons Provisional
Squad at a Glance:
Goalkeepers: Chiamaka Nnadozie (Paris FC, France); Tochukwu Oluehi (Maccabi Kishronot Hadera, Israel); Rita Akarekor (Nasarawa Amazons); Yewande Balogun (Coppermine United, USA).
Defenders: Chidinma Okeke (Unattached); Glory Ogbonna (Santa Teresa FC, Spain); Onome Ebi (En Avant Guingamp, France); Osinachi Ohale (Deportivo Alaves, Spain); Ugochi Emenayo (Konak Belediyespor Izmir, Turkey); Ashleigh Plumptre (Leicester City, England); Nicole Payne (West Virginia University, USA); Michelle Alozie (Houston Dash, USA); Akudo Ogbonna (Edo Queens).
Midfielders: Peace Efih (Kiryat Gat, Israel); Amanda Uju Mbadi (Atasehir Belediyespor, Turkey); Halimatu Ayinde (Eskilstuna United, Sweden); Charity Adule (Deportivo La Coruna, Spain); Toni Oyedupe Payne (Sevilla FC, Spain); Regina Otu (Minsk FC, Belarus); Christy Ucheibe (SL Benfica, Portugal); Rasheedat Ajibade (Atletico Madrid, Spain); Rita Chikwelu (Madrid CFF, Spain); Suliat Abideen (Edo Queens).
Forwards: Gift Monday (Bayelsa Queens); Francisca Ordega (CSKA Moscow, Russia); Desire Oparanozie (Wuhan Chegu Jianghan, China); Vivian Ikechukwu (WFC Gintra, Lithuania); Chinonyerem Macleans (GSK Gornik Leczna, Poland); Chinwendu Ihezuo (Meizhou Hakka Club, China); Ifeoma Onumonu (NY/NJ Gotham FC, USA); Uchenna Kanu (Tigres Femenil, Mexico); Asisat Oshoala (FC Barcelona, Spain).
