Nigeria’s Head Coach, Randy Waldrum has made a provisional list of 25 players for the upcoming Summer Series tour of the United States of America, where the nine-time African champions will play four-time world champions USA, Portugal and Jamaica.
Waldrum has made it known that 23 players will make the trip to the US, meaning two players will be dropped from the provisional squad.
Team captain Asisat Oshoala, fresh from becoming the first African player to earn a UEFA Women Champions Cup gold, tops the list with veteran defender Onome Ebi, youthful goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie, midfielder Halimatu Ayinde and forward Rasheedat Ajibade also called. Waldrum has included 10 home-based players in the provisional squad.
Matches will be played at the BBVA Stadium in Houston and at the brand-new, $240million Q2 Stadium in Austin built by the newest club in the Major League Soccer, Austin FC. Both cities are in the State of Texas and the clash between the Super Falcons and the US Women A team will be the first-ever football match at the state-of-the-art Q2.
The glamour tournament will run between 10th – 16th June and will see the Super Falcons clashing with their Jamaican counterparts in Houston on the 10th before taking on Portugal three days later at the same BBVA Stadium. Their last match is against the USA squad, four-time winners of the FIFA World Cup and four-time winners of the Olympic football gold, at the Q2 Stadium on 16th June.
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The USA is the only one of the four teams in the Summer Series that will compete in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. The match against Nigeria will mark the first time the USA has ever faced the Super Falcons outside of a world championship and it will be just the third-ever friendly against an African country, with the previous two coming against South Africa.
THE FULL LIST
Goalkeepers: Tochukwu Oluehi (CD Pozoalbense, Spain); Chiamaka Nnadozie (Paris FC, France); Inyene Etim (Abia Angels FC)
Defenders: Onome Ebi (Minsk FC, Belarus); Gloria Ogbonna (Edo Queens FC); Osinachi Ohale (Madrid CFF, Spain); Oluwatosin Dimehin (Sunshine Queens FC); Chidinma Okeke (Madrid CFF, Spain); Abidemi Ibe (Bayelsa Queens FC); Patricia George (Sands FC, Germany); Esther Ogbonna (Sunshine Queens FC)
Midfielders: Rita Chikwelu (Madrid CFF, Spain); Ngozi Okobi-Okeoghene (Eskilstuna FC, Sweden); Celine Ottah (Bayelsa Queens FC); Halimatu Ayinde (Eskilstuna FC, Sweden); Oyedupe Payne (Sevilla FC, Spain); Amanda Mbadi (Bayelsa Queens FC)
Forwards: Asisat Oshoala (FC Barcelona, Spain); Vivian Ikechukwu (Rivers Angels FC); Uchenna Kanu (Linkopings FC, Sweden); Rasheedat Ajibade (Atletico Madrid FC, Spain); Francisca Ordega (Levante FC, Spain); Gift Monday (FC Robo Queens); Joy Bokiri (Bayelsa Queens FC); Charity Adule (SD Eibars FC, Spain)
4 Comments
Like play like play. They want to retire a young Desire Oparanozie because of bitterness for speaking as the captain of the team. Politics indeed is a dirty game even at the expense of the game.
What’s wrong with these people? This country always finds a way to disappoint. Why leave Oparanozie out of the team? Nigeria and injustice wey no make sense.
They want docile lap dogs who will say nothing even when things are going wrong.
What do you expect when the truth can never prevail. I had expected the coach to put his foot down and demand for her presence, her colleagues havent helped matters either. They should have staged a sit out
NFF are deceivers. They said thay don’t interfere when it comes to the national teams selections but what I am seeing on the list is very clear that they are manipulators.
Where is Desire Oparanozie name?
Oparanozie is a true leader who loves to fight for the truth of her teammates but unfortunately, her teammates betrayed her because they did not fight the battle together.
Now, they are heading to another tournament without the leader of the team and NFF have stopping the coach from inviting Desire and the best players to form a young vibrant team to represent Nigeria.
Same old team with the injections of few new players which to me is not good enough.
We saw the new players the new gaffer injected into the team during the Turkey tournament.
NFF should allowing coach Waldrum to do his job.
They distracted and frustrated coach Dennerby until they sent him out of the team now DesireOparanozie?
Super Falcons is not Super Eagles. Since we can not win trophies with the Super Eagles due to the bad acts of the NFF by putting incompetent coaches and unhealthy environment and efforts, I think NFF should leave the new gaffer alone to select the best to represent our nation.
Whoever that saying the truth is the enemy of the Nigerians. Desire should take that as one of the challenges in life. Her name already written in gold.
I am facing the same challenges on here because many of us doesn’t like the truth that I am saying but the truth have come to stay wether they like it or not.
These ladies are the best and they will continue to be the no1 team in Africa.
This is very bad. Leaving out the captain of the team because she was telling NFF to pay their salary?
NFF, there’s God ooooo. No wahala, your days are numbered in the office Amaju and co.
Ire o. God bless Nigeria!!!