Nigeria squad announcement : Barca & Leicester stars named to 32-player Super Falcons training roster

Head Coach Randy Waldrum has invited 32 players to the camp of the Super Falcons as the Cup holders get set for a two-week training camp in Morocco ahead of the 12th Women Africa Cup of Nations holding in that country, 2nd – 23rd July.

An analysis of the roster revealed that four goalkeepers, nine defenders, ten midfielders and nine strikers have been summoned for the training camp.

The roster is headlined by Barcelona striker Asisat Oshoala who recently won the Spanish Premiera Iberdrola Golden Boot for the 2021-2022 season with 20 goals to her name in nineteen league appearances.

Former England youth international Ashleigh Plumptre has been called up after an outstanding season with Leicester City, helping the Foxes escape relegation after a difficult start to the Women's Super League.

Goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie, defender and captain Onome Ebi, midfielders Rasheedat Ajibade and Toni Payne, and forwards Francisca Ordega and Desire Oparanozie are among those called to the two-week intensive training programme.

The training camp will start on 18th June in the North African kingdom, with all players already advised to arrive in Rabat on 17th June.

Nine –time champions Nigeria will play in Group C of the 12-team tournament alongside South Africa's Banyana Banyana, Botswana and Burundi.

Nigeria's first match of the competition, at which Africa's four flagbearers to next year's FIFA Women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand will emerge, is against the Banyana at the Complexe Sportif Prince Abdellah in Rabat on 4th July.

Super Falcons for training camp in Morocco

Goalkeepers: Chiamaka Nnadozie (Paris FC, France); Tochukwu Oluehi (Maccabi Kishronot Hadera, Israel); Rita Akarekor (Nasarawa Amazons); Yewande Balogun (Coppermine United, USA)

Defenders: Opeyemi Sunday (Edo Queens); Glory Ogbonna (Santa Teresa FC, Spain); Onome Ebi (En Avant Guingamp, France); Osinachi Ohale (Deportivo Alaves, Spain); Ugochi Emenayo (Konak Belediyespor Izmir, Turkey); Ashleigh Plumptre (Leicester City, England); Nicole Payne (West Virginia University, USA); Michelle Alozie (Houston Dash, USA); Akudo Ogbonna (Edo Queens)

Midfielders: Peace Efih (Kiryat Gat, Israel); Amanda Uju Mbadi (Atasehir Belediyespor, Turkey); Halimatu Ayinde (Eskilstuna FC, Sweden); Charity Adule (Deportivo La Coruna, Spain); Toni Oyedupe Payne (Sevilla FC, Spain); Regina Otu (Minsk FC, Belarus); Christy Ucheibe (SL Benfica, Portugal); Rasheedat Ajibade (Atletico Madrid, Spain); Rita Chikwelu (Madrid CFF, Spain); Suliat Abideen (Edo Queens)

Forwards: Anam Imo (Pitea IF, Sweden); Francisca Ordega (CSKA Moscow, Russia); Desire Oparanozie (Wuhan Chegu Jianghan, China); Vivian Ikechukwu (WFC Gintra, Lithuania); Chinonyerem Macleans (GSK Gornik Leczna, Poland); Chinwendu Ihezuo (Meizhou Hakka Club, China); Ifeoma Onumonu (NY/NJ Gotham FC, USA); Uchenna Kanu (Tigres Femenil, Mexico); Asisat Oshoala (FC Barcelona, Spain

Ferrdinard Mbum