Ethiopia has released a 25-wowen’s squad for their 2024 Olympic Games qualifying fixture against the Super Falcons of Nigeria.
The Ethiopia Football Federation unveiled the list on their official X handle.
The list consist of three goalkeepers, eight defenders, six midfielders and eight strikers.
The Walya Ladies will host the first leg in Addis Ababa on October 25.
The reverse fixture will be played six days later at the Moshood Abiola Stadium, Abuja.
Read Also:Fiorentina Closing In On Final Agreement With Kayode Over New Deal
Ethiopia defeated Chad in the first round of the qualifiers.
The Super Falcons have failed to qualify for the last three editions of the Olympics.
THE FULL SQUAD
Goalkeepers
Tariqua Bergena (CBE)
Betelhem Yohannes (Hawassa)
Abeba Ajebo (Addis Ababa)
Defenders
Birkie Amare (CBE)
Bizuayehu Taddese (CBE)
Nardos Getnet (CBE)
Senayit Shego (Adama)
Betelhem Bekele (Mechal)
Nestanet Tsegaye (Mechal)
Kidist Zeleke (Hawassa)
Dirshaye Menza (CBE)
Midfielders
Nybouny Yien (CBE)
Messay Temesgen (CBE)
Aregash Kalsa (CBE)
Meadin Sahilu (Hawassa)
Bethelhem Gizachew (Mechal)
Bethelhem Mentelo (Addis Ababa)
Forwards
Loza Abera (CBE)
Senaf Wakuma (CBE)
Rediet Asresahegn (Hawassa)
Turist Lemma (Hawassa)
Nigist Bekele (Mechal)
Ariet Odong (CBE)
Mahlet Mitiku (Sidama)
Emush Daniel (Hawassa)
4 Comments
There’s Potential Fire On The Mountain if Care is not Taken : Take Ethiopia Seriously
The grave concerns about the risk of Nigeria not qualifying for the 2024 Olympics from a bevy of fans are, for me, not at all misplaced.
Yes, Nigeria has not qualified for the Olympics Women’s Soccer event in recent times but it is actually a little bit more serious than that.
Worryingly as a Nigerian, but paradoxically at the same time comforting as an African, I think we are witnessing an iron curtain of giant killings in African women’s football of late.
The first casualty were the great Cameroon who were killed off by Kenya in last month’s Wafcon qualifiers. As the continent was still reeling from this seismic shock, it was the turn of Ivory Coast to be trampled upon before being torn apart by Tanzania in the same round of qualifiers.
With teams like Guinea and Togo returning 11 and 13 unrequited goals respectively in the same round of qualifiers, the frontiers of traditional super powers in women’s football in the tournament is definitely being rolled back.
The question now is, who will be next?
I rejoiced with much happiness when Bankole Olowookere Nigeria U-17 Women’s team won bronze in last year’s Fifa World Cup – they were agonisingly close to clinching silver or gold. But we were so close to never making it to the world cup in the first place.
Ethiopia pushed Bankole’s babes to the brink of qualification failure save for a contentious solo goal on home soil from the irrepressible Opeyemi Ajakaye across 2 legs. Before that last match, Bankole’s babes had scored 14 goals in 4 games against Congo and Egypt; they were to find their Ethiopian counterparts a tougher bowl of Akara and Eko to swallow.
This same Ethiopia senior women’s national team are undefeated in open play in their last 4 games, scoring 12 goals in the process and conceding only 2.
Shouldn’t the NFF have used the last women’s international window to prepare Nigeria for this tough challenge by speedily arranging a last minute friendly following the withdrawal of São Tomé and Príncipe in Afcon qualifiers?
Will that decision not potentially capable of coming back to bite the Super Falcons in the backside?
Cameroon and Ivory Coast have used kids gloves to battle erstwhile underdogs in African women’s football and it had not gone well for them.
I only hope the Super Falcons are not treading on the same perilous path!
On another news, Mercilessly Mercy Idoko is already tearing the Portuguese league apart with scintillating displays.
She opened her goal account on Sunday to help Racing Power recorded their first win of the season with 2-0 victory over Maritimo.
The former Nigerian youth international, who joined Racing Power in the summer of 2023 following brilliant exploits in the Israeli Women’s League with Beitar Jerusalem and was handed her second start of the season.
Her colleagues Deborah Abiodun and Tosin Demehin are already a world cup superstars in the Super Falcons. Other Falconets class of 2023 like Flourish Sabastine, Jumoke Alani and Esther Onyenezide are already in the periphery if the Super Falcons, indeed some of them are in the current squad to prosecute Olympic Qualifiers.
Opeyemi Ajakaye is another striker further down the youth system already included in the Super Falcons.
Mercy Idoko will hope to make her senior team breakthrough sooner than later. Hitting the back of the net regularly will definitely put her in the fray for her senior national team breakthrough.
A striker by trade, Idoko is pliable enough to occupy multiple roles. She oozes with confidence and finesse on the ball.
Her progress continues to be tracked by Super Falcons supporters
Assisat needs to retire or be dropped from the Falcons…. she’s over rated…. Just like Samuel Chukwueze
Olu ur head is not correct.