Coach Randy Waldrum has named Leciester City's Ashleigh Plumptre, Gotham's Ifeoma Onumonu and Esther Okoronkwo for Nigeria's upcoming two-match series against Canada, SportNewsAfrica can exclusively report.
According to the 25-woman squad leaked to SportNewsAfrica , the American tactician, who is aiming to guide the Super Falcons to African glory in July, named the trio in his squad that will battle the Olympic champions this week.
Plumptre, who lasted the duration in her maiden international debut for Nigeria against Cote d'Ivoire in February's Women's Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, had only made her return to the pitch from a slight injury against Arsenal.
For Onumonu, who scored all the goals in a 2-0 win over the Ivorians in Abuja on her first game on Nigerian soil, is also in shape as she struck late to rescue Gotham from North Carolina Courage defeat in a 1-1 draw in the NWSL.
On the part of Okoronkwo, she also showed her class, netting the matchwinner against the Ivorians in Abidjan, netted her fourth goal of the season for Saint-Étienne with a consolation in a 4-1 loss to Issy in the French topflight.
Also included in the list comprising of two goalkeepers, seven defenders, nine midfielders and five strikers are regular faces like CSKA Moscow's Francisca Ordega, Tigres UNAL's Uchenna Kanu, veteran defender Onome Ebi, Atletico Madrid's Rasheedat Ajibade and Toni Payne.
However, the biggest omissions from the 25-woman squad are Barcelona striker Asisat Oshoala, Wuhan's Desire Oparanozie and American based goalkeeper Yewande Balogun and Sand's Patricia George.
Besides the above mentioned absentees, SportNewsAfrica authoritatively gathered that some of the invited players have already pulled out of the ties due to varying reasons, ranging from health reasons, logistics and visa hitches.
Regardless, the nine–time African champions will clash with reigning Olympic gold medalists in the cities of Vancouver and . Both matches take place Friday, 8 th April and Monday, 11 th April respectively in Canada but will kick off at 7.30pm Nigeria time (3.30am Vancouver time on 9 th April and 12 th April respectively).
The last time Nigeria and Canada battled each other was in the build up to the France 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup and the Super Falcons fell 2-1 to the Canadians despite Oparanozie's effort off Kanu's assist in Pinatar, Spain.
And Friday's clash at the BC Place in Vancouver is another date for both teams after many years, following their epic 3-3 draw at the 1995 FIFA Women's World Cup finals in Sweden.
The fixtures between the world ranked no. 6 and 39 nations are billed to get the reigning African champions prepared for their 2022 Women's Africa Cup of Nations campaign which will be held from July 2 to 23 in Morocco.
NIGERIA SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Chiamaka Nnadozie [Paris FC], Tochukwu Oluehi [Maccabi Kishronot Hadera]
Defenders: Ashliegh Plumptre [Leciester City], Onome Ebi [Unattached], Osinachi Ohale [Alaves], Nicole Payne [West Virginia Mountaineers], Michelle Alozie [Houston Dash], Akudo Ogbonna [Edo Queens], Glory Ogbonna [Santa Teresa CD]
Midfielders: Christy Ucheibe [SL Benfica], Peach Efih [Maccabi Kiryat Gat], Amanda Uju, Rasheedat Ajibade [Atletico Madrid], Toni Payne [Sevilla], Regina Otu [Minsk], Ngozi Sonia Okobi-Okeoghene [Eskilstuna United], Rita Chikwelu [Madrid SBB], Halimatu Ayinde [Eskilstuna United]
Strikers: Esther Okoronkwo [Saint Ettiene], Vivian Ikekwukwu [Gintra], Ifeoma Onumonu [Gotham FC], Uchenna Kanu [UNAL Tigers], Francisca Ordega [CSKA Moscow]
SAMUEL AHMADU
