The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has listed Skipper Rasheedat Ajibade, goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie, five-time African Player of the Year, Asisat Oshoala and free-scoring forward, Esther Okoronkwo, in the 21-woman squad for next week’s Paris 2024 women’s football qualifying fixture against the Indomitable Lionesses of Cameroon.
This fixture is 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-month time.
Also listed for the game are goalkeeper Tochukwu Oluehi, defenders Osinachi Ohale and Oluwatosin Demehin, midfielders Deborah Abiodun and Christy Ucheibe, as well as forwards Toni Payne, Uchenna Kanu and Omorinsola Babajide.
Versatile defender Ashleigh Plumptre makes a return to the fold since the FIFA Women’s World Cup finals in Australia last year. Fierce rivals, Nigeria and Cameroon will battle it out in the first leg of the fixture at the Stade de la Reunification in Douala, Cameroon, on February 23, with Ugandan official Shamirah Nabadda as referee. Her compatriots, Lydia Nantabo, Jane Mutonyi and Diana Murungi, will serve as assistant referee 1, assistant referee 2 and fourth official respectively.
Khadija Rezzag from Morocco will be the referee assessor, while Lukusa Kanjinga from the Democratic Republic of Congo will be the commissioner. For the second leg match in Nigeria, holding at the MKO Abiola National Stadium, Abuja on February 26, CAF has appointed Namibian official, Ndemugwanitha Twanyanyukwa, as referee, with her compatriots, Eveline Augustinus, Olivia Amukuu and Victoria Shangula, as assistant referee 1, assistant referee 2 and fourth official respectively.
Alice Wangari Kimani from Kenya will serve as the referee assessor, while Christine Ziga from Ghana will be the commissioner. The full squad: Goalkeepers- Chiamaka Nnadozie (Paris FC); Tochukwu Oluehi (Shualat Alsharqia FC, Saudi Arabia) and Linda Jiwuaku (Bayelsa Queens).
Defenders: Osinachi Ohale (Pachuca 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) and 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) and 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); Uchenna Kanu (Racing Louisville, USA); Gift Monday (Coasta Adeje Tenerife Egatesa, Spain).
