National Teams
Paris 2024: Nigeria midfielder Halimatu Ayinde ruled out of the Olympics
By Oyediji Oluwaseun Babatunde
Nigeria has been hit by a major setback 24 hours after the head coach of Nigeria’s senior women’s national team released the roster for the Olympic with Halimatu Ayinde blow, Nigeriafootball.ng can exclusively report.
Rosengard midfielder, Ayinde will miss this month’s Paris 2024 Olympics due to injury, ending her long term pursuit of achieving an Olympic dream.
The three-Wafcon winner suffered a knee injury ahead of arrival in camp for players as her Club confirmed that she won’t be joining the national team.
The Kaduna-born star recently returned from injury setbacks after the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, will now be out for another injury spell on the sideline.
The former North Carolina Courage, Asarum, and Eskilstuna United player has scored a goal in 12 Swedish women’s top flight this season.
Her absence will be felt by Randy Waldrum’s side ahead of their crunch group encounters against Brazil, Japan, and Spain.
Waldrum is expected to replace Ayinde with one of the alternative players in squad.
They are Jumoke Alani (Nasarawa Amazons); Ifeoma Onumonu (Utah Royals, USA); Gift Monday (Coasta Adeje Tenerife Egatesa, Spain); and Morufa Ademola (Rivers Angels).
