By : Tosin
Super Falcons left the country on Tuesday night for Toronto, Canada for the 7th FIFA Women’s World Cup finals, with high hopes of surpassing previous record of quarter-final outing.
The team flew out at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja aboard an Air France midnight, and arrives in Paris on Wednesday morning before connecting another flight to Toronto, Canada.
Head Coach, Edwin Okon and 10 other officials travelled with 26 players, and two others, Skipper Evelyn Nwabuoku and forward Francesca Ordega will join the team at the training camp in Toronto.
Nwabuoku, who scored a screamer in the 8-0 demolition of Mali in an All-Africa Games qualifier in Abuja last month, has recently been hooked by Kazakhstan women league champions, while Ordega, who also scored a brace in that match, plays for Washington Spirit in the USA.
Okon said the duo were permitted to join the side in Canada following clubs refusal to release them in time but insisted that they must meet the fitness test to be listed for the World Cup party.
“Nwabuoku and Ordega couldn’t come down here due to club assignments but will however join the team in Toronto, Canada.
“We’ve few friendly matches to play in Canada before the World Cup campaign and we’ll use the test matches to ascertain their fitness for the assignment ahead of us. They’re not the only one expected to pass the fitness test but others hoping for a spot in the final 23-man list.
“Every player to be handed a shirt to the World Cup must pass the fitness test. There is no room for automatic shirt,” said Okon to supersport.com.
However, Okon on Sunday dropped eight players, namely Chisom Henry, Yetunde Adeboyejo, Chioma Wogu, Onyinyechi Okeke, Gladys Akpa, Ramatu Abdulkarim, Winifred Eyebhokia and Chinaza Uchendu.
The Falcons has played in all previous six editions of the FIFA Women’s World Cup, reaching the quarter-finals in the USA in 1999.
Already confirmed for the African champions is a friendly against the Senior Women National Team of Canada on 25th May. On the same day, Okon will name his 23-woman squad to represent Nigeria at the finals.
The Super Falcons play Sweden in its first match of the topurnament in Winnipeg on 8th June, with other matches against Australia (also in Winnipeg) and USA (in Vancouver) to come in Group D.
The players for the training tour where the coach will name his 23-man squad are, Precious Dede, Ibubeleye Whyte, Christy Ohaeriaku, Sandra Chii Chii, Onome Ebi and Osinachi Ohale.
Also on the trip to Canada are, Josephine Chukwunonye, Ngozi Ebere, Blessing Edoho, Sarah Nnodim, Mariam Ibrahim and Ugo Njoku.
The team also left with Evelyn Nwabuoku, Perpetua Nkwocha, Onyinyechi Ohadugha, Halimat Ayinde, Cecilia Nku, Ngozi Okobi, Esther Sunday and Loveth Ayila.
Others are, Chiwendu Ihezuo, Desire Oparanozie, Asisat Oshoala, Francisca Ordega, Iniabasi Umotong, Courtney Dike, Evelyn Nwabuoku and Francesca Ordega.
