Duro Ikhazuagbe
Eight home-based players have been listed in Nigeria’s provisional 27-woman team for the 8th FIFA Women’s World Cup finals taking place in France between 7thJune and 7th July 2019.
The selected players are scheduled to go into the Avita Resort Bad Tatzmannsdorf camp in Austria on May 20, the same facility used by the Super Eagles for their preparations for the World Cup in Russia last year.
The players from the domestic league listed in the squad include; Chiamaka Nnadozie, Christy Ohiaeriaku, Alaba Jonathan, Chidinma Okeke, Evelyn Nwabuoku, Amarachi Okoronkwo, Alice Ogebe and goalkeeper Tochukwu Oluehi.
All of them are currently with the Super Falcons at the West African Football Union (WAFU) Zone B tournament in Ivory Coast.
Leading the cast of stars in Head Coach Thomas Dennerby’s team is FC Barcelona striker and three-time African Footballer of the Year, Asisat Oshoala. She is in company with such stars like defensive bulwark Onome Ebi, midfield lubricator Ngozi Okobi and power forward Desire Oparanozie.
Others include; defenders Josephine Chukwunonye, Osinachi Ohale and Ngozi Ebere, midfielders Rita Chikwelu and Halimatu Ayinde and Francisca Ordega, who all played key roles in the Super Falcons’ ninth continental triumph in Ghana late last year.
Dennerby has also picked Uchenna Kanu, who has shown tremendous firepower at the on-going WAFU Women’s Cup in Abidjan with eight goals in two matches.
A statement from the Nigeria Football Federation announcing the provisional list yesterday said that Nigeria’s final list of 23 players for the Mundial in France will emerge from this group of 27, with four players to be cut towards the end of the two-week camping in Austria.
“The final squad will depart from Austria on 4th June direct to Reims, where they open their World Cup campaign against Norway on 8th June,” observed NFF’s Head of Women Football, Ruth David.
THE PROVISIONAL LIST
GOALKEEPERS: Tochukwu Oluehi (Rivers Angels); Alaba Jonathan (Bayelsa Queens); Chiamaka Nnadozie (Rivers Angels); Christy Ohiaeriaku (Confluence Queens)
DEFENDERS: Osinachi Ohale (Vaxjo DFF, Sweden); Ngozi Ebere (Arna Bjornar, Norway); Onome Ebi (Henan Huisanhang, China); Josephine Chukwunonye (Kungsbacka DFF, Sweden); Faith Michael (Pitea IF, Sweden); Chidinma Okeke (FC Robo)
MIDFIELDERS: Cecilia Nku (Ferencvaros Torna, Hungary); Rita Chikwelu (Krstianstand DFF, Sweden); Ngozi Okobi-Okeoghene (Eskiltuna United, Sweden); Evelyn Nwabuoku (Rivers Angels); Ogonna Chukwudi (Djurgardens IF, Sweden); Halimatu Ayinde (Eskiltuna United, Sweden); Amarachi Okoronkwo (Nasarawa Amazons)
FORWARDS: Desire Oparanozie (En Avant Guingamp, France); Anam Imo (Malmo FC Rosengard, Sweden); Asisat Oshoala (FC Barcelona, Spain); Chinaza Uchendu (SC Braga, Portugal); Uchenna Kanu (South-eastern University, USA); Rasheedat Ajibade (Alvadsnes IL, Norway); Francisca Ordega (Shanghai W. FC); Ini-Abasi Umotong (Brighton Hove & Albion, England); Alice Ogebe (Rivers Angels); Chinwendu Ihezuo (Henana Huisanhang, China)
