National Teams
2024 WAFCONQ: Two early birds as Super Falcons camp opens in Abuja
By Oyediji Oluwaseun Babatunde
Two early birds – Christiana Obia and Uchenna Kanu at the Super Falcons’ Starview Hotel abode as invited 21 players begin to stream in for the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match against Cape Verde.
Kanu, who plays for Racing Loiusville of United States’ National Women’s Soccer League and Obia is one of the four home-based players, starring for Edo Queens and earns her first ever call-up to the senior team for the first time since featuring at the African Games success in 2019.
With a first round walk over against Sao Tome and Principe, the Super Falcons officially opened on Saturday, November 25, 2023, ahead of next week’s final round of qualifiers.
The nine-time African champions will host the Cape Verdians for the first leg encounter at the MKO Abiola National Stadium on Thursday, 30th November and more players are expected to start reporting to camp from Sunday.
Four home-based players invited to camp; Christiana Obia (Edo Queens), Rihanat Kasali (Bayelsa Queens), Akudo Ogbonna (Remo Stars Ladies), and Esther Onyenezide (FC Robo Queens) are expected to be early birds before the arrival of 17 foreign based players.
In October, the Super Falcons recorded a commanding 5-1 aggregate win over their counterparts from Ethiopia, with the first leg in Addis Ababa ending 1-1 before a 4-0 lashing of the ‘Lucy’ in Abuja in the previous round of the Qualifiers.
Nigeria has reached each edition of the WAFCON since the launch of the African Women’s Championship in 1998. The West Africans have won nine of the previous 12 editions of the tournament with Equatorial Guinea (2) and holders, South Africa (1) winning the other three.
ALL THE INVITED PLAYERS:
Goalkeepers: Chiamaka Nnadozie (Paris FC); Tochukwu Oluehi (Shualat Alsharqia FC, Saudi Arabia); Christiana Obia (Edo Queens)
Defenders: Osinachi Ohale (Pachuca FC, Mexico); Glory Edet (FCF TP Mazembe, DR Congo); Rihanat Kasali (Bayelsa Queens); Oluwatosin Demehin (Stade de Reims, France); Akudo Ogbonna (Remo Stars Ladies); Rofiat Imuran (Stade de Reims, France)
Midfielders: Christy Ucheibe (SC Benfica, Portugal); Esther Onyenezide (FC Robo Queens); Peace Efih (Sporting Club de Braga, Portugal); Rasheedat Ajibade (Atletico Madrid FC, Spain); Deborah Abiodun (University of Pittsburgh, USA); Toni Payne (Sevilla FC, Spain); Jennifer Echegini (Florida State University, USA)
Forwards: Omorinsola Babajide (Coasta Adeje Tenerife Egatesa, Spain); Asisat Oshoala (FC Barcelona Feminine, Spain); Esther Okoronkwo (Coasta Adeje Tenerife Egatesa, Spain); Uchenna Kanu (Racing Louisville, USA); Gift Monday (Coasta Adeje Tenerife Egatesa, Spain)
