Asisat Oshoala and Halimatu Ayinde have returned to full training with Barcelona and Eskilstuna United after recovering from their respective injury spells on the sidelines, SportNewsAfrica can report.
Oshoala had only returned from a knee injury in December 2021 after spending about two months on the sidelines before she yet again recently picked a thigh injury in training on international duties which rules her out of the 2022 Africa Women Cup of Nations qualifying match against Ivory Coast in February.
On her return from almost 10 weeks on the sidelines, she will look to keep alive her quest for the Spanish golden boots with her 19 goals in 16 matches for the already crowned champions Blaugranes, despite now behind Madrid CFF's Geyse in the race by just a goal with three games left to play this season.
The four-time African Women's Footballer of the Year is likely to make a Women's Champions League return when Barcelona take on Wolfsburg in semi-final on April 22 after she missed the quarterfinal triumph over Real Madrid.
On the other hand, Ayinde suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury while playing for her Eskilstuna FC against Hackens on May 22, 2021 and endured a lengthy spell on the sidelines, missing the chance to help her club claim a Women's Champions League spot in late 2021 season campaign and early 2022 Damallsvenskan opening fixtures.
Despite both missing Nigeria's 3-0 triumph over Cote d'Ivoire in February, Oshoala and Ayinde, who featured prominently in the West African nation's three successive triumphs at the continent's showpiece will be huge addition to the reigning champions' campaign in the first ever 12 -nation women's competition three months from now.
The Nigerians duo's return will bring huge smiles on the face of coach Randy Waldrum, having both missed the last four competitive matches of the Super Falcons as the nine-time champions hope to extend their dominance on the continent at the 2022 TotalEnergies Women's Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco later in July.
