Nigeria’s female youth national team, Falconets are scheduled to play away to Central African Republic (CAR) on September 23 in their first match of the qualifying series for next year’s FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup.
With the fixture new just over a month away, Falconets’ coach, Chris Danjuma has invited 35 players to resume camping this Sunday in Abuja, to commence training ahead of the African qualifying series, which enters the second round in the third week of September.
Megasportsaena.com reports that the Falconets, who were runners-up at the global competition in 2010 and 2014, drew bye to the second round and will now confront Central African Republic in the first leg scheduled for 23 to 25 September.
They will return home to host the return leg in Nigeria between October 7 and 9, but what could have been a major hurdle against Equatorial Guinea, who had initially been set to battle CAR in the first round, moved out of the way when the team from Malabo withdrew from the race.
The Falconets’ return leg fixture versus CAR will come up around the same time the senior male teams of both countries will tango in a 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifying showdown in Lagos, thereby marking a keen coincidence of matches for the two nations.
Following that clash, though, the Falconets, who also reached the 2012 semi finals in Japan, will face two more rounds in order to qualify for the 2022 FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup that will be co-hosted by Costa Rica and Panama.
Ahead of the latest mission for the Falconets, Danjuma has compiled another roster of lasses he believes can make their fans proud and a press release by the communications department of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) directed the invited players to report at Chida Hotel, Abuja on Sunday with their training kits, international e-passport, birth certificate and letter of consent.
The list of invites has Shukurat Baraka (Edo Queens); Nelly Ekeh (Sunshine Queens); Monle Omini (Bayelsa Queens); Linda Jiwara (Confluence Queens); Iyems Etim (Abia Angels); Oluwatosin Demehin (Rivers Angels); Rofiat Imuran (Rivers Angels) and Jumoke Anani (Edo Queens).
Others are Oluwabunmi Oladeji (Naija Ratels); Omowunmi Oshobukola (Sunshine Queens); Chinemerem Michael (Delta Queens); Sharon Onwere (Skillful Star); Chidinma Ogbuchi (FC Robo Queens); Chidinma Anaele (Imo Angels); Paulina Ali (Naija Ratels) and Basirat Amoo (Nasarawa Amazons).
Also expected in Abuja are Amarachi Odoma (Nasarawa Amazons); Celine Ottah (Bayelsa Queens); Yena Ado (Nasarawa Amazons); Vera Samuel (Royal Queens); Zainab Oladapo (Bayelsa Queens); Esther Onyenezide (FC Robo Queens); Deborah Abiodun (Rivers Angels); Oluwadamilola Kuku (Osun Babes) and Chiamaka Nwachukwu (Royal Queens).
Concluding the list are Joy Jerry (Bayelsa Queens); Blessing Okpe (Rivers Angels); Mercy Idoko (Nasarawa Amazons); Yemisi Samuel (Edo Queens); Tarnum Dooshima (Nasarawa Amazons); Flourish Sebastine (Edo Queens); Martha Peter (Confluence Queens); Juliet Adebowale (Brighton & Hoves Albion UK); Taiwo Lawal (FC Robo Queens); and Joy Omewa (Denmark B93).
