Paris 2024 Olympics: Waldrum Axe Onome Ebi, Ordega Picks Ajibade, Nnadozie, Oshoala, 15 Others

Paris 2024 Olympics: Waldrum Axe Onome Ebi, Ordega Picks Ajibade, Nnadozie, Oshoala, 15 Others

. Gift Monday, Three Others Listed As Alternate Players

. Team Departs Abuja On Thursday For Training Camp In Spain

Ibrahim Lateef

Head Coach Randy Waldrum has removed Onome Ebi and Francisca Ordega from the squad and has announced the final list of Nigeria’s Super Falcons for this year’s Women’s Olympic Football Tournament in Paris, France, reports BSNSports.com.ng.

Recall in a report published on Tuesday on BSNSports suggested that Onome Ebi had challenged Waldrum to come and confront her about her inclusion in the Olympic Games list, as he complained about a player being imposed on him by a few unnamed top brass of the Nigeria Football Federation.

Ebi on her social media ( Whatsapp status) handle reacted angrily about the situation and blasted the American. 

In a twist of the event, Waldrum has blocked the clandestine move to have both players in his team, by naming captain Rasheedat Ajibade, Chiamaka Nnadozie, Osinachi Ohale, Asisat Oshoala, and 14 others.

There are also defenders Oluwatosin Demehin and Michelle Alozie, midfielders Deborah Abiodun, Halimatu Ayinde, Christy Ucheibe and Toni Payne, and forwards Esther Okoronkwo, Chinwendu Ihezuo and Uchenna Kanu.

Squad members who are currently on holiday in Nigeria will join home-based players and team officials aboard an Air France flight from Abuja to Sevilla, Spain on Thursday night, with the rest of the playing body and technical team also arriving in Sevilla on Friday for a two-week training camp.

The team is scheduled to depart Sevilla for France on Thursday, 18th July.

Nine-time African champions Nigeria, who are making their first appearance at the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament for the first time since 2008 in China, will tackle Brazil, Spain and Japan, in that order, at this year’s tournament.

To qualify for the 12-team tournament, the Falcons edged South Africa’s Banyana Banyana 1-0, with a strike from the penalty spot in Abuja by Ajibade separating Africa’s top two teams over two legs in April.

Their first game, against Brazil, comes up at the Stade Bordeaux on 25th July, before confrontations with Spain (28th July) and Japan (31st July). The matches against Spain and Japan will be held at the Stade de la Beaujoire in Nantes, where the Super Eagles famously defeated tournament favourites Spain 3-2 in a memorable game at the 1998 FIFA World Cup finals.

SUPER FALCONS FOR PARIS 2024 OLYMPICS:

Goalkeepers: Chiamaka Nnadozie (Paris FC); Tochukwu Oluehi (Shualat Alsharqia FC, Saudi Arabia)

Defenders: Osinachi Ohale (Pachuca Club de Futbol, Mexico); Oluwatosin Demehin (Stade de Reims, France); Michelle Alozie (Houston Dash, USA); Nicole Payne (Portland Thorns FC, USA); Chidinma Okeke (Mynavi Sendai Ladies, Japan) 

Midfielders: Deborah Abiodun (University of Pittsburgh, USA); Halimatu Ayinde (FC Rosengard, Sweden); Christy Ucheibe (SL Benfica, Portugal); Jennifer Echegini (Juventus Ladies, Italy); Toni Payne (Sevilla FC, Spain) 

Forwards: Rasheedat Ajibade (Atletico Madrid FC, Spain); Esther Okoronkwo (Changchun FC, China); Asisat Oshoala (Bay FC, USA); Uchenna Kanu (Racing Louisville, USA); Chiwendu Ihezuo (Pachuca Club de Futbol, Mexico); Chinonyerem Macleans (Lokomotiv Moscow, Russia)

Alternate Players: Jumoke Alani (Nasarawa Amazons); Ifeoma Onumonu (Utah Royals, USA); Gift Monday (Costa Adeje Tenerife Egatesa, Spain); Morufa Ademola (Rivers Angels).