Super Falcons coach Waldrum invites Oshoala, 24 others for US Summer Series

SUPER Falcons head coach Randy Waldrum has named a provisional squad of 25 players for the upcoming Summer Series tour of the United States of America, where the Nigerian ladies will play USA, Portugal and Jamaica.

Waldrum has however explained that 23 players will make the trip to the US, with two players dropped from the provisional squad.

Captain Asisat Oshoala of Barcelona Femeni, who recently became the first African player to win the UEFA Women’s Champions League title, tops the list which also includes regulars veteran defender Onome Ebi, young goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie, midfielder Halimatu Ayinde and forward Rasheedat Ajibade.

Waldrum has named 10 home-based players in the provisional squad, including goalkeeper Inyene Etim of Abia Angels, defenders Esther Ogbonna of Sunshine Queens, Abidemi Ibe of Bayelsa Queens and Gloria Ogbonna of Edo Queens as well as midfielder Amanda Mbadi of Bayelsa Queens and forward Gift Monday of FC Robo Queens.

Matches will be played at the BBVA Stadium in Houston and at the brand-new, $240million Q2 Stadium in Austin built by the newest club in the Major League Soccer, Austin FC. Both cities are in the State of Texas and the clash between the Super Falcons and the US Women A team will be the first-ever football match at the state-of-the-art Q2.

The tournament is scheduled for 10 June to 16 June, with the Super Falcons opening against Jamaica in Houston on 10 June.

The nine-times Aftican champions then take on Portugal three days later at the same BBVA Stadium.

The Super Falcons’ last match is against world champions USA, four-time winners of the FIFA World Cup and four-time winners of the Olympic football gold, at the Q2 Stadium on 16 June.

FULL LIST

Goalkeepers: Tochukwu Oluehi (CD Pozoalbense, Spain); Chiamaka Nnadozie (Paris FC, France); Inyene Etim (Abia Angels FC)

Defenders: Onome Ebi (Minsk FC, Belarus); Gloria Ogbonna (Edo Queens FC); Osinachi Ohale (Madrid CFF, Spain); Oluwatosin Dimehin (Sunshine Queens FC); Chidinma Okeke (Madrid CFF, Spain); Abidemi Ibe (Bayelsa Queens FC); Patricia George (Sands FC, Germany); Esther Ogbonna (Sunshine Queens FC)

Midfielders: Rita Chikwelu (Madrid CFF, Spain); Ngozi Okobi-Okeoghene (Eskilstuna FC, Sweden); Celine Ottah (Bayelsa Queens FC); Halimatu Ayinde (Eskilstuna FC, Sweden); Oyedupe Payne (Sevilla FC, Spain); Amanda Mbadi (Bayelsa Queens FC)

Forwards: Asisat Oshoala (FC Barcelona, Spain); Vivian Ikechukwu (Rivers Angels FC); Uchenna Kanu (Linkopings FC, Sweden); Rasheedat Ajibade (Atletico Madrid FC, Spain); Francisca Ordega (Levante FC, Spain); Gift Monday (FC Robo Queens); Joy Bokiri (Bayelsa Queens FC); Charity Adule (SD Eibars FC, Spain)