Danjuma picks Ajakaye, Onyenezide, Sebastine for WAFU B tourney

Chris Danjuma

Head Coach Chris Danjuma has selected midfielders Taiwo Afolabi and Esther Onyenezide, and forwards Flourish Sebastine and Opeyemi Ajakaye in Nigeria’s 20-woman squad for the forthcoming WAFU B U20 Women Tournament taking place in Kumasi, Ghana.

Danjuma, who steered the Nigerian girls to the last eight of last year’s World Cup in Costa Rica, has also picked goalkeeper Inyene Etim, defenders Comfort Folorunsho and Jumoke Alani, midfielders Chioma Olise and Blessing Emmanuel, and forwards Omowunmi Bello and Goodness Osigwe.

Afolabi, Folorunsho, Ajakaye and Emmanuel were in the Nigeria U17 girls’ team that won the bronze medals at last year’s FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup finals in India.

This year’s tournament, scheduled for 20 May – 4 June, pits the Falconets in Group B against the U20 girls of Niger Republic, Burkina Faso and Togo. Hosts Ghana will confront the U20 girls of Benin Republic and Cote d’Ivoire in Group A.

Ghana and Benin Republic will lift the curtain on the tournament at the Baba Yara Stadium on Saturday, 20 May before FIFA World Cup quarter-finalists Nigeria take on Niger Republic and Burkina Faso tango with Togo on Sunday, 21 May.

The Falconets will then play Togo on 24 May, also at the Baba Yara Stadium, before trading tackles with Burkina Faso Paa Joe Stadium on Sunday, 28 May.    

FALCONETS FOR WAFU B U20 WOMEN’S TOURNAMENT

Goalkeepers: Inyene Etim, Shukura Bakare, Chinyere Mgbechi

Defenders: Jumoke Alani, Oluchi Ohaegbulem, Chidinma Ogbuchi, Comfort Folorunsho, Blessing Okpe, Monica Ameh

Midfielders: Taiwo Afolabi, Chioma Olise, Chinyere Kalu, Esther Onyenezide, Blessing Emmanuel

Forwards: Shukurat Oladipo, Goodness Osigwe, Flourish Sebastine, Omowunmi Bello, Opeyemi Ajakaye, Judith Okah