National Teams
Paris 2024 Qualifiers: Super Falcons camp swells with arrival of Toni Payne in Douala
By Oyediji Oluwaseun Babatunde
The camp of Nigeria’s senior women’s national team swelled to 20 players with the arrival of Sevilla FC star, Toni Payne.
Payne, the elder sister of Nicole Payne arrived Douala, Cameroon ahead of the team’s first leg of Paris 2024 Olympics Qualifiers clash with the Indomitable Lionesses.
She arrived the same day the team landed in Douala (Thursday) for Friday crunch tie and was part of Thursday’s evening training session. With her arrival, the only player being expected in camp in United States of America (USA) based Uchenna Kanu.
This fixture is the first leg of the third round of the African qualifying series, and the penultimate round of the series before the continent’s flag-bearers to the 2024 Olympics are known ahead of the Games in five months’ time.
Coach Randy Waldrum has recalled fabulous defender Ashley Plumptre, now based in Saudi Arabia, and Halimatu Ayinde, Toni Payne and Christy Ucheibe will get to play together in the middle again after a stirring outing at the World Cup in Australia. There’s also the talented youngster Deborah Abiodun.
Nigeria’s goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie is one of the most respected safe hands globally, and in forwards Asisat Oshoala, Rasheedat Ajibade, Uchenna Kanu, Gift Monday and Esther Okoronkwo, the Super Falcons boast one of the most stellar attacking ensemble in women’s football.
Captain Ajibade scored two of the five goals that eliminated Ethiopia in the second round of the qualifiers, with Oshoala also scoring, and Okoronkwo and Kanu were on fire as Cape Verde were put to the sword in the final round of qualifiers for this year’s Women AFCON championship.
Veteran defender Osinachi Ohale is peerless on her day, and younger stallions Tosin Demehin and Rofiat Imuran have grown to become true fighters whenever the occasion called for such.
SUPER FALCONS IN DOUALA TO BATTLE CAMEROON:
Goalkeepers: Chiamaka Nnadozie (Paris FC); Tochukwu Oluehi (Shualat Alsharqia FC, Saudi Arabia); Linda Jiwuaku (Bayelsa Queens)
Defenders: Osinachi Ohale (Pachucha Club de Futbol, Mexico); Ashleigh Plumptre (Ittihad Ladies, Saudi Arabia); Oluwatosin Demehin (Stade de Reims, France); Michelle Alozie (Houston Dash, USA); Akudo Ogbonna (Remo Stars Ladies); Rofiat Imuran (Stade de Reims, France)
Midfielders: Deborah Abiodun (University of Pittsburgh, USA); Halimatu Ayinde (FC Rosengard, Sweden); Christy Ucheibe (SL Benfica, Portugal); Jennifer Echegini (Juventus Ladies, Italy); Rasheedat Ajibade (Atletico Madrid FC, Spain); Toni Payne (Sevilla FC, Spain)
Forwards: Omorinsola Babajide (Coasta Adeje Tenerife Egatesa, Spain); Esther Okoronkwo (Henan FC, China); Ifeoma Onumonu (SLC Utah, USA); Asisat Oshoala (Bay FC, Spain); Gift Monday (Coasta Adeje Tenerife Egatesa, Spain)