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Rasheedat Ajibade and Halimatu Ayinde set for Nigeria return against Australia
By Oyediji Oluwaseun Babatunde
After seeing out their two-match suspensions, the duo of Rasheedat Ajibade and Halimatu Ayinde are set to return to Nigeria’s senior women’s national team lineup against Australia.
The duo were left out of the Super Falcons’ Group B tie against Olympic champions, Canada due to marching orders at the 2022 Women’s African Cup of Nations semi-final against Morocco.
They were shown straight red cards at the semi-final against Morocco, which ended in a 5-4 loss on penalties after a 1-1 draw at the end of regulation time.
Ayinde was the first to get marching orders in the 48th minute followed by Ajibade’s expulsion, 26 minutes into the second half.
The two players served one of their two suspensions during Nigeria’s 1-0 loss to Zambia in the third-place match and completed their suspension against Canada and are now set to grace the Women’s World Cup in Down Under.
They will be available for selection by coach Randy Waldrum as the nine-time African champions face another acid test against co-host, Australia on July 27.
Ayinde is attending her third FIFA Women’s World Cup, while Ajibade is having her second appearance at the tournament after her debut appearance at the 2019 edition in France.
Australia topped the group with three points after a 1-0 win over debutants, the Republic of Ireland on Thursday.
