The paths of Esther Okoronkwo and Michelle Alozie intertwined with fate and determination, leading them to don the prestigious green-white-green kits of the Nigerian women’s national team, the Super Falcons.
Their journey began in a serendipitous encounter with the team’s head coach, Randy Waldrum, during a warm-up before a match against Jamaica at Houston’s Shell Stadium in 2021.
At that time, Alozie, a Nigerian-American player, was not officially on the Super Falcons’ roster, but circumstances threw Waldrum into a tight spot.
The team faced visa issues that impeded their travel to Houston for a summer series hosted by U.S. Soccer. Left with only 13 players, Waldrum desperately reached out to every contact he could think of, seeking Nigerian players who might be willing to join the team for some extremely last-minute games.
One of those contacts was James Clarkson, former coach of the Houston Dash, where both Alozie and Okoronkwo were practising with the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) team.
They accepted Waldrum’s invitation without hesitation and embraced the opportunity to represent their Nigerian heritage by joining the Super Falcons.
Fast forward two years, and the Molecular Biologists from the prestigious Yale University and Okoronkwo find themselves proudly representing Nigeria at the World Cup.
As relatively new members of the squad, they have contributed significantly to the team’s growth and development.
Despite a stumble in their previous international competition at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), the Super Falcons have been steadily building their prowess, showcasing beautiful cohesion throughout the World Cup.
Unbeaten in their group-stage matches against higher-ranked teams, they secured a spot in the tournament’s knockout stage, defeating former Olympic champions Canada and World Cup newcomers Ireland.
Meanwhile, in less than six days, their journey in the 2023 Women’s World Cup tournament continues as they face the formidable England team in the tournament’s knockout stage.