Christopher Musa Danjuma, head coach of the Nigerian women’s under-20 team, has handpicked 19 players for their upcoming FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup qualifying match against Tanzania this Sunday.
Danjuma called up three goalkeepers, six defenders, five midfielders, and five forwards for the first leg of their second-round tie against the Twiga Stars.
Faith Omilana, who was in between the sticks for Nigeria at the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup, where they got the nation’s first-ever podium finish with a bronze medal in India last year, was selected alongside Taiwo Afolabi as well as defender Comfort Folorunsho.
Head Coach of Nigeria’s U20 girls, Chris Danjuma has picked 3️⃣ goalkeepers, 6️⃣ defenders, 5️⃣ midfielders and 5️⃣ forwards for next Sunday’s FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup second round, first leg qualifying match against ????????Tanzania. #Falconets
Full list???? pic.twitter.com/7MflCl2wgh
— The NFF ???????? (@thenff) November 7, 2023
Lethal forward Opeyemi Ajakaye, who was also part of the U17 squad in India in 2022 and was recently called up to the Super Falcons team for their 2024 Women Olympic Football Tournament qualifying fixture against Ethiopia in October, is also listed.
The Falconets have been in camp in the nation’s capital city of Abuja for a fortnight, and they will take on their Tanzanian counterparts in the first leg of the qualifiers at the Azam Sports Complex in Dar es Salaam at 3 p.m. local time (1 p.m. Nigeria time) on Sunday, November 12.
Nigeria will also look to bolster their hopes of making the World Cup, which they finished as quarter-finalists last year, when the second leg takes place a week later at the MKO Abiola National Stadium, Abuja, on Sunday, November 19.
The aggregate winner of the two-legged tie will advance to the third round of the qualifiers as the race for a berth at the tournament in Colombia in 2024 continues to heat up.
FULL LIST OF INVITED FALCONETS
Goalkeepers: Anderline Mgbechi (Delta Queens); Shukura Bakare (Nasarawa Amazons); Faith Omilana (Naija Ratels)
Defenders: Oluchi Ohaegbulem (Nasarawa Amazons); Comfort Folorunsho (Edo Queens); Rihanat Kasali (Bayelsa Queens); Jumoke Alani (Edo Queens); Shukurat Oladipo (FC Robo Queens); Semilore Oladeji (Naija Ratels)
Midfielders: Adoo Yina (Nasarawa Amazons); Taiwo Afolabi (Delta Queens); Shola Shobowale (Nasarawa Amazons); Aminat Folorunsho (Rivers Angels); Chioma Olise (Edo Queens)
Forwards: Opeyemi Ajakaye (FC Robo Queens); Judith Okah (Remo Queens); Chiamaka Okwuchukwu (Rivers Angels); Chisom Chima (Bayelsa Queens); Janet Akekoromowei (Asisat Academy).
