Ahead of the second round of the African qualifying series of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics women’s football tournament, a total of 30 home-based professionals will arrive at the Super Falcons’ hotel camp in Abuja on Sunday to kick-start preparations for the clash with the Senior Women National Team of Cote d’Ivoire.
Seven overseas-based professionals will join the group before the trip to Abidjan for the first leg.
Already, world football-governing body, FIFA, has directed that both legs of the qualifying fixture must be concluded between September 30 and October 8, 2019.
The Nigeria Football Federation has already picked October 6 for the return leg match slated for the Agege Stadium, Lagos.
The venue hosted the return leg of Nigeria/Algeria in the earlier round, with the Falcons winning by a lone goal to push out the Algerians on a 3-0 aggregate.
Cote d’Ivoire also emerged 3-0 aggregate winners, eliminating Mali from the series to set up a clash with nine-time African champions Nigeria.
Asisat Oshoala, scorer of the lone goal against Algeria in Lagos on September 3, heads the list of the overseas-based professionals that also includes defenders Osinachi Ohale and Chidinma Okeke, midfielders Ngozi Okobi-Okeoghene and Chinaza Uchendu, and forwards Francisca Ordega and Rasheedat Ajibade.
Midfielder Osarenoma Igbinovia heads the list of 30 home-based professionals.
All invited home-based players are expected to arrive at the Chida Hotel, Abuja on September 15, 2019.
HOME-BASED PROS
Goalkeepers: Christy Ohiaeriaku (Delta Queens); Tochukwu Oluehi (Rivers Angels); Onyinyechukwu Okeke (Bayelsa Queens); Chiamaka Nnadozie (Rivers Angels).
Defenders: Glory Ogbonna (Ibom Angels); Opeyemi Sunday (Sunshine Queens); Abidemi Ibe (Bayelsa Queens); Ugochi Emenayo (Nasarawa Amazons); Margaret Etim (Rivers Angels); Maryam Ibrahim (Nasarawa Amazons); Mary Ologbosere (Rivers Angels); Blessing Edoho (Ibom Angels); Tosin Dimeyin (Sunshine Queens).
Midfielders: Osarenoma Igbinovia (Bayelsa Queens); Ihuoma Onyebuchi (Sunshine Queens); Folashade Ijamilusi (FC Robo); Suliat Abideen (Sunshine Queens); Josephine Mathias (Rivers Angels); Amarachi Okoronkwo (Nasarawa Amazons); Regina Otu (Edo Queens); Cecilia Nku (Rivers Angels).
Forwards: Adejoke Ejalonibu (Nasarawa Amazons); Rafiat Sule (Rivers Angels); Tessy Biahwo (Bayelsa Queens); Alice Ogebe (Rivers Angels); Aloko Abdulkareem (Nasarawa Amazons); Gift Monday (FC Robo); Lola Philips (Nasarawa Amazons); Titilayo Aweda (Confluence Queens); Cynthia Aku (Rivers Angels).
OVERSEAS-BASED PROS:
Rasheedat Ajibade (Avaldsnes, Norway); Osinachi Ohale (CD Tacon, Spain); Ngozi Okobi-Okeoghene (Eskilstuna DFF, Sweden); Francisca Ordega (Shanghai Zyhongyuan, China); Asisat Oshoala (FC Barcelona, Spain); Chinaza Uchendu (SC Braga, Portugal); Chidinma Okeke (Madrid CFF, Spain).