Tokyo 2020: Super Falcons To Regroup For Cote d’Ivoire

ABUBAKAR FADIL OLADIMEJI

Ahead of the second round of the African qualifying series of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics women’s football tournament, a total of 30 home-based professionals will arrive at the Super Falcons’ hotel camp in Abuja on Sunday to kick-start preparations for the clash with the Senior Women National Team of Cote d’Ivoire.

Seven overseas-based professionals will join the group before the trip to Abidjan for the first leg.

Already, world football –governing body, FIFA has directed that both legs of the qualifying fixture must be concluded between 30^th September and 8^thOctober 2019.

The Nigeria Football Federation has already picked Sunday, 6^th October for the return leg match, slated for the Agege Stadium, Lagos. The venue hosted the return leg of Nigeria/Algeria in the earlier round, with the Falcons winning by a lone goal to push out the Algerians on a 3-0 aggregate.

Cote d’Ivoire also emerged 3-0 aggregate winners, eliminating Mali from the series to set up a clash with nine –time African champions Nigeria.

Asisat Oshoala, scorer of the lone goal against Algeria in Lagos on 3^rdSeptember, heads the list of the overseas-based professionals that also includes defenders Osinachi Ohale and Chidinma Okeke, midfielders Ngozi Okobi-Okeoghene and Chinaza Uchendu, and forwards Francisca Ordega and Rasheedat Ajibade.

Midfielder Osarenoma Igbinovia heads the list of 30 home-based professionals.

All invited home-based players are expected to arrive at the Chida Hotel, Abuja on Sunday, 15^th September 2019.

HOME-BASED PROS

Goalkeepers: Christy Ohiaeriaku (Delta Queens); Tochukwu Oluehi (Rivers Angels); Onyinyechukwu Okeke (Bayelsa Queens); Chiamaka Nnadozie (Rivers Angels)

Defenders: Glory Ogbonna (Ibom Angels); Opeyemi Sunday (Sunshine Queens); Abidemi Ibe (Bayelsa Queens); Ugochi Emenayo (Nasarawa Amazons); Margaret Etim (Rivers Angels); Maryam Ibrahim (Nasarawa Amazons); Mary Ologbosere (Rivers Angels); Blessing Edoho (Ibom Angels); Tosin Dimeyin (Sunshine Queens)

Midfielders: Osarenoma Igbinovia (Bayelsa Queens); Ihuoma Onyebuchi (Sunshine Queens); Folashade Ijamilusi (FC Robo); Suliat Abideen (Sunshine Queens); Josephine Mathias (Rivers Angels); Amarachi Okoronkwo (Nasarawa Amazons); Regina Otu (Edo Queens); Cecilia Nku (Rivers Angels)

Forwards: Adejoke Ejalonibu (Nasarawa Amazons); Rafiat Sule (Rivers Angels); Tessy Biahwo (Bayelsa Queens); Alice Ogebe (Rivers Angels); Aloko Abdulkareem (Nasarawa Amazons); Gift Monday (FC Robo); Lola Philips (Nasarawa Amazons); Titilayo Aweda (Confluence Queens); Cynthia Aku (Rivers Angels)

OVERSEAS-BASED PROS:

Rasheedat Ajibade (Avaldsnes, Norway); Osinachi Ohale (CD Tacon, Spain); Ngozi Okobi-Okeoghene (Eskilstuna DFF, Sweden); Francisca Ordega (Shanghai Zyhongyuan, China); Asisat Oshoala (FC Barcelona, Spain); Chinaza Uchendu (SC Braga, Portugal); Chidinma Okeke (Madrid CFF, Spain)