President of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau has assured that nine-time African champions Nigeria, Super Falcons will be ready to put up an excellent show when the 9th FIFA Women’s World Cup™ finals commence in Australia and New Zealand on 20th July.
“Nigeria is very excited to be amongst the 32 finalist countries for the FIFA Women’s World Cup; the first to be co-hosted and the first ever for 32 teams. It is indeed a historic moment for us at the NFF and the Super Falcons and indeed for all the other teams that qualified.
“Indeed, the Government and people of Nigeria have high expectations for this year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup competition. Our Super Falcons have been preparing hard and still preparing to make an excellent run in Australia and New Zealand…we want to assure you that our Super Falcons will not be coming to Australia and New Zealand just to make up the number”, Gusau said at the Nigeria leg of the FIFA Women’s World Cup™ trophy tour at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja on Sunday morning.
The day’s programme started at the Anglican Girls Secondary School, Apo where the school’s fascinated 115 students took turns to take photographs with the original Trophy, alongside the five-member FIFA team and a number of NFF Management officials.
The main event at the Transcorp Hilton also had the Australian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Her Excellency Leann Johnston, as well as Madam Aisha Falode and Rt. Hon. Margaret Icheen, members of the NFF Executive Committee; NFF Management officials; the five-member FIFA team of Giulia Türkyilmaz, Alexa Sunderland, Felipe Chevita, Jot Jakher and Aurelien Fougere; Super Falcons’ captain Onome Ebi and; players and officials of NWFL Premier League side Naija Ratels, led by the proprietor, Barr. Paul Edeh.
Johnston said: “We are excited to welcome Nigeria to Australia for the tournament and we’re looking forward to the group match between them on 27 July in Brisbane. Australia is rightly proud of the achievements of our women’s national team, the Matildas, who are currently ranked 12th in the world.
“Australians know that the Super Falcons have a long reputation and are not to be taken lightly. The Super Falcons have played in every FIFA Women’s World Cup tournament and are by far Africa’s most successful women’s football team” she said.
Dignitaries and guests took turns to take photos with the most coveted prize in women’s football as some players of the FIFA U17 World Cup bronze medallists Flamingos of Nigeria regaled the auditorium with their humble beginnings and challenges on the way to the top.
Nigeria is one of only seven countries to have featured in every edition of the FIFA Women’s World Cup™ since the competition was launched in 1991. The others are the USA, Brazil, Germany, Japan, Norway and Sweden. This year’s finals will be the first finals to be held in the Southern Hemisphere, the first to welcome 32 teams and the first to be played across two countries in two different confederations.
Meanwhile, Super Falcons’ Head Coach, Randy Waldrum has called up team captain Onome Ebi, and forwards Asisat Oshoala and Rasheedat Ajibade to the camp ahead of next month’s couple of international friendly matches in Turkey.
The team have a date against World Cup-bound Haiti women’s national team at the Emir Sports Complex in Antalya, Turkey on Friday, 7th April, before taking on World Cup co-hosts New Zealand at the Mardan Sports Complex also in Antalya on Tuesday, 11th April.
Last month, the Super Falcons were at the Four-Nation Revelation Cup in the city of Leon, Mexico where they played three matches, two of which were against World Cup-bound Costa Rica and Colombia.
The clashes in April are to further test the strength of the African representatives against other World Cup-bound teams, with this year’s edition being the biggest FIFA Women’s World Cup finals in history. It welcomes 32 teams – same number as featured at the men’s finals in Qatar late last year.
ALL THE INVITED PLAYERS:
Goalkeepers: Chiamaka Nnadozie (Paris FC, France); Yewande Balogun (AS Saint-Etienne, France); Inyene Etim (Abia Angels)
Defenders: Onome Ebi (Abia Angels); Osinachi Ohale (Deportivo Alaves, Spain); Ashleigh Plumptre (Leicester City, England); Glory Ogbonna (Besiktas JK, Turkey); Rofiat Imuran (Stade de Reims, France); Michelle Alozie (Houston Dash, USA); Oluwatosin Demehin (Stade de Reims, France)
Midfielders: Halimatu Ayinde (FC Rosengard, Sweden); Christy Ucheibe (SL Benfica, Portugal); Ngozi Okobi-Okeoghene (FC Levante Las Planas, Spain); Deborah Abiodun (Rivers Angels); Toni Payne (Sevilla FC, Spain); Regina Otu (AS Saint-Etienne, France)
Forwards: Asisat Oshoala (Barcelona Femenin, Spain); Rasheedat Ajibade (Atletico Madrid, Spain); Esther Okoronkwo (AS Saint-Etienne, France); Ifeoma Onumonu (NY/NJ Gotham FC, USA); Uchenna Kanu (Racing Louisville, Kentucky, USA); Desire Oparanozie (Wuhan Chegu Jianghan, China); Gift Monday (UDG Tenerife, Spain)
