The eleven-time champions have released the list of players that will trade tackles against Ivory Coast in February, and one player is set to make her first competitive appearance
Leicester City defender Ashleigh Plumptre headlines the list of Super Falcons players that will trade tackles against the Lady Elephants of Ivory Coast in February.
The 23-year-old was born in England, and she represented the English female youth teams until last year when she decided to switch allegiances to Nigeria.
Last year, she was part of the Super Falcons training camps in Austria and Abuja, albeit she was not cleared to play an official match for the eleven-time African Champions.
However, earlier this year, she was cleared by FIFA to play for the Super Falcons as she is eligible because of her father's Nigerian heritage.
Ahead of the crucial Nations Cup qualifier double-header against Ivory Coast next month, coach Andy Randy Waldrum named a list of 35 players to battle against the Lady Elephants, And Plumptre, who is a big fan of veteran Nigerian musician King Sunny Ade, made the cut.
Here we go again!
Our provisional squad list for the 2022 Africa Women's Cup of Nations qualifiers against Cote d'Ivoire next month. #SoarSuperFalcons #Awcon2022q #Team9jaStrong pic.twitter.com/Xb7q4DaJbP
— NGSuper_Falcons (@NGSuper_Falcons) January 29, 2022
Super Falcons squad to face Ivory Coast:
Goalkeepers: Chiamaka Nnadozie (Paris FC, France); Tochukwu Oluehi (Maccabi Kishronot Hadera, Israel); Christy Ohiaeriaku (Sunshine Queens); Yewande Balogun (USA)
Defenders: Rofiat Imuran (Rivers Angels); Glory Ogbonna (Santa Teresa FC, Spain); Onome Ebi (Minsk FC, Belarus); Osinachi Ohale (Deportivo Alaves, Spain); Ayomide Ojo (Edo Queens); Ashleigh Plumptre (Leicester City, England); Joy Duru (Nasarawa Amazons); Nicole Payne (West Virginia University, USA); Michelle Alozie (Houston Dash, USA); Akudo Ogbonna (Edo Queens)
Midfielders: Peace Efih (Kiryat Gat, Israel); Yetunde Aluko (WFC Ramat Hasharon, Israel); Amanda Mbadinuju (Bayelsa Queens); Ngozi Okobi-Okeoghene (Eskilstuna FC, Sweden); Grace Igboamalu (Bayelsa Queens); 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); Amarachi Okoronkwo (Nasarawa Amazons); Deborah Abiodun (Rivers Angels)
Forwards: Esther Okoronkwo (AS Saint Etienne, France); Francisca Ordega (CSKA Moscow, Russia); Desire Oparanozie (Dijon FC, France); Vivian Ikechukwu (Rivers Angels); Gift Monday (FC Robo Queens); Juliet Bassey (Bayelsa Queens); Ifeoma Onumonu (NY/NJ Gotham FC, USA); Uchenna Kanu (Tigres Femenil, Mexico); Asisat Oshoala (FC Barcelona, Spain).
The first leg will be played in Abuja on Friday, 18th February, with the return leg at the Stade Robert Champroux in Abidjan on Wednesday, 23rd February.
It’s vividly sure that Nigerian women footballers would definitely win these matches.
3-1 & 2-0