Ashleigh Plumptre featured in all of Nigeria’s games at the FIFA 2023 Women’s World Cup hosted by Australia and New Zealand.
Super Falcons and Al-Ittihad defender, Ashleigh Plumptre has returned to the Nigerian Football team for the first time since the team exited the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in the round of sixteen, Soccernet.ng reports.
Plumptre, 25, was absent from all of Nigeria’s Olympic qualifying games, claiming she was taking time away from the national team to focus and settle in with the culture in Saudi Arabia.
Alongside twenty other players, the former Leicester defender has been called for Nigeria’s Women’s Olympic qualifying clash against the Indomitable Lionesses of Cameroon.
The game will be played next Friday, with the first leg at the Stade de la Reunification in Douala, Cameroon, and the return leg coming in the following week at the MKO Abiola National Stadium, Abuja, Nigeria.
This fixture is the third round of the African qualifying series and the penultimate round of the series before the continent’s flag-bearers to the 2024 Olympics are known ahead of the Games in five months.
Ugandan referee, Shamirah Nabadda as referee will be in charge of the game in Douala and will be accompanied by Lydia Nantabo, Jane Mutonyi and Diana Murungi.
They will serve as assistant referee 1, assistant referee 2 and fourth official respectively. Khadija Rezzag from Morocco will be the referee assessor while Lukusa Kanjinga from the Democratic Republic of Congo will be the commissioner.
For the second leg in Nigeria, CAF has appointed Namibian official Ndemugwanitha Twanyanyukwa as the referee, with her compatriots Eveline Augustinus, Olivia Amukuu and Victoria Shangula in the roles of assistant referee 1, assistant referee 2 and fourth official respectively.
Alice Wangari Kimani from Kenya will serve as referee assessor while Christine Ziga from Ghana will be the commissioner.
The Super Falcons squad in full;
Goalkeepers: Chiamaka Nnadozie (Paris FC), Tochukwu Oluehi (Shualat Alsharqia FC, Saudi Arabia), Linda Jiwuaku (Bayelsa Queens).
Defenders: Osinachi Ohale (Pachuca Club de Futbol, Mexico), Ashleigh Plumptre (Ittihad Ladies, Saudi Arabia), Oluwatosin Demehin (Stade de Reims, France), Michelle Alozie (Houston Dash, U.S.A.), Akudo Ogbonna (Remo Stars Ladies), Rofiat Imuran (Stade de Reims, France).
Midfielders: Deborah Abiodun (University of Pittsburgh, U.S.A.), Halimatu Ayinde (FC Rosengard, Sweden), Christy Ucheibe (SL Benfica, Portugal), Jennifer Echegini (Juventus Ladies, Italy), Rasheedat Ajibade (Atletico Madrid FC, Spain), Toni Payne (Sevilla FC, Spain).
Forwards: Omorinsola Babajide (Costa Adeje Tenerife Egatesa, Spain), Esther Okoronkwo (Henan FC, China), Ifeoma Onumonu (SLC Utah, U.S.A.), Asisat Oshoala (Bay FC, U.S.A.), Uchenna Kanu (Racing Louisville, U.S.A.), Gift Monday (Costa Adeje Tenerife Egatesa, Spain).
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Good list, but worried about GKs….
The worry is that if Nnadozie gets hurt or is otherwise unavailable, there will be a HUGE DROP OFF in quality. Though experienced, Tochukwu Oluehi (whom I have watched a few times on DAZN playing in the Saudi league) is unfortunately no longer an international-class GK. And, with all due respect, the invitation of Linda Jiwuaku (who is struggling to get into the main U20 Falconets squad) at this level is frankly a JOKE.