Super Falcons head coach Randy Waldrum has included five members of the Falconets in the Super Falcons squad set to face United States of America in two friendlies this week and next week.
The nine-time African champions are billed to play the world champions in Kansas City on Saturday and in Washington three days later as part of preparations for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
The five Falconets players, who all featured at the just-concluded Costa Rica 2022 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup where the team reached the quarter-finals, include captain and centre-back Oluwatosin Demehin, full-backs Jumoke Alani and Rofiat Imuran, as well as midfielder Deborah Abiodun and forward Esther Onyenezide, who scored three goals in Costa Rica.
The Falconets are part of a 26-woman Super Falcons squad for the high-profile friendly matches.
The U-20 players are being rewarded for their impressive performances in Costa Rica as they fill in for unavailable Super Falcons stars.
Super Falcons’ Sweden-based pair Halimatu Ayinde and Ngozi Okobi-Okeoghene are affected by visa hitches, while five-time African Women’s Player of the Year, Barcelona striker Asisat Oshoala, is out with a long-term injury.
Francisca Ordega and Macleans Chinonyerem are also ruled out.
All of the unavailable Super Falcons players featured at the 2022 Africa Women’s Cup of Nations in Morocco in July, where the team finished fourth but qualified for the 2023 Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand next September.
Meanwhile, the Super Falcons camp opened in Abuja yesterday with home-based players, including WAFCON star Gift Monday and the invited Falconets, all of whom are expected to fly out to the United States tonight.
