THE Super Falcons are in confident mood as they prepare for two friendly matches in preparation for the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand in July and August.
The nine-time African champions’ squad was boosted yesterday with the arrivals of star strikers Asisat Oshoala and Desire Oparanozie in their camp in Antalya, Turkey, where they will face Haiti and New Zealand.
Barcelona forward and multiple times African Women’s Player of the Year Oshoala has not played for the Super Falcons since the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations finals in Morocco, when she got seriously injured.
On her part, Oparanozie’s last appearance for Nigeria was at the Aisha Buhari Cup in Lagos in September 2021.
The arrival of the two stars generated positive vibes at The Sense De Luxe Hotel camp of the Falcons, ahead of tomorrow’s friendly with World Cup debutants Haiti at the Emir Sports Complex, according to the Nigeria Football Federation media team.
Also in camp are goalkeepers Chiamaka Nnadozie, Inyene Etim and Yewande Balogun; defenders Onome Ebi, Glory Ogbonna, Tosin Demehin, Rofiat Imuran and Ashleigh Plumptre; midfielders Toni Payne, Christy Ucheibe, Ngozi Okobi-Okeoghene, Regina Otu, Deborah Abiodun and Halimatu Ayinde.
Forwards Esther Okoronkwo, Gift Monday, Rasheedat Ajibade and Vivian Ikechukwu are also in Turkey for the friendlies.
The Super Falcons recently ended a dismal run of seven straight defeats with victory over World Cup-bound Costa Rica at the Revelation Cup Tournament in Mexico City in February.
They will be hoping to keep the winning momentum tomorrow against the Haitians, before they face World Cup co-hosts New Zealand on Tuesday, at the Mardan Sports Complex also in Antalya.
Nigeria are in Group B at the World Cup, where they will battle co-hosts Australia, Olympic champions Canada and newcomers Republic of Ireland.
