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Ten times defending champions, Super Falcons begin camping in Abuja for 12th Women Afcon

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Nigeria’s Super Falcons who are going on a 10th defence of the African titles that they have won 11 times have commenced their final training ahead of the 12th Africa Women Cup of nations beginning in two weeks time in Morocco.

Their camp is Abuja. The July’s colourful house party in the North African kingdom is expected to generate greater media and global public interest than ever, with the exponential rise in the stature of women’s football helped by the tremendous gains of the last Women’s World Cup in France, robust deliberations on pay parity (with the men) and FIFA’s decision to hike the number of participating teams at next year’s Women’s World Cup finals to 32 – same as for the men’s World Cup.

Head Coach Randy Waldrum and assistants have the interesting challenge of quality and quantity of players – a useful blend of the old guard, talented youngsters from the home front and a number of skillful foreign-born stars who have been holding their own brilliantly.

As at Friday morning, there were 19 players in camp, including captain Onome Ebi, alongside goalkeepers Chiamaka Nnadozie and Tochukwu Oluehi, defenders Osinachi Ohale and Akudo Ogbonna, midfielders Rita Chikwelu and Rasheedat Ajibade, and forwards Francisca Ordega, Asisat Oshoala and Gift Monday.

US –based goalkeeper Yewande Balogun, defender Michelle Alozie and midfielders Amanda Mbadi and Toni Payne were being expected in camp on Friday.

Forwards Desire Oparanozie and Uchenna Kanu, as well as midfielder Regina Otu and US –based defender Nicole Payne will arrive in Abuja by the weekend.

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England –based defender Ashleigh Plumptre, midfielder Halimatu Ayinde and forwards Francisca Ordega, Vivian Ikechukwu and Ifeoma Onumonu are to join the squad in Morocco next week.

Nigeria, who have won nine of the 11 Women Africa Cup of Nations championships held so far, bundled out Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire in the qualifying series and will play South Africa, Botswana and Burundi in the group stages in Morocco. They go up against the Banyana Banyana in their first match at the Prince Heritier Moulay Hassan Stadium in Rabat on Monday, 4th July, before matches against Botswana (Thursday, 7th July) and Burundi (Sunday, 10th July) at the same venue.

All four semi finalists at the tournament in Morocco will qualify to represent Africa at the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia/New Zealand in the summer of 2023.

ALREADY IN CAMP: Onome Ebi, Rita Chikwelu, Osinachi Ohale, Tochukwu Oluehi, Glory Ogbonna, Asisat Oshoala, Rasheedat Ajibade, Chiamaka Nnadozie, Chidinma Okeke, Rita Akarekor, Gift Monday, Opeyemi Sunday, Charity Adule, Christy Ucheibe, Suliat Abideen, Chinonyerem Macleans, Peace Efih, Ugochi Emenayo, Akudo Ogbonna

EXPECTED FRIDAY: Yewande Balogun, Toni Oyedupe Payne, Michelle Alozie, Amanda Uju Mbadi

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EXPECTED BY WEEKEND: Nicole Payne, Uchenna Kanu, Desire Oparanozie, Regina Otu

TO JOIN TEAM IN MOROCCO: Ashleigh Plumptre, Francisca Ordega, Vivian Ikechukwu, Halimatu Ayinde, Ifeoma Onumonu   

Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

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